Nurses were already in short supply before the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the problem. Since then, the nursing workforce has remained under strain, with around 40% of nurses saying they planned to leave the profession or retire by 2029 in a 2024 national nursing workforce survey.
Although there have been some signs of improvement — such as higher wages, reduced workloads, and some experienced nurses returning to work — the nursing shortage remains a concern. It is especially acute in rural states like Oklahoma, where access to care in general is limited.
To learn more, check out the infographic below, created by Mid-America Christian University’s nursing programs.
National and Oklahoma Nursing Shortage Facts
Explore facts about nursing shortages in Oklahoma and across the country.
Access to Nursing Care in Oklahoma
Here are statistics about the availability of and access to nursing care in Oklahoma:
- In Oklahoma, 35.8% of residents live in rural areas.
- There are 1.77 nurses per 100 residents in Oklahoma, including registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses/licensed vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs). This is the 14th lowest number among U.S. states.
- The required RN workforce in 2026 is 41,670, with 72% of workforce needs met.
- The required RN workforce projected for 2030 is 42,880, with 77% of needs expected to be met.
Vacancy Rates for Highest-Vacancy Specialty Nurses in Oklahoma
Nursing shortages in Oklahoma are most apparent in the following roles, which have high vacancy rates:
- Medical/surgical: 39%
- Telemetry: 31%
- Geriatric mental health: 25%
- Rehabilitation: 24%
- Mental health: 23%
Rural Health Risks From Nursing Shortages Nationally
Across the U.S., nursing shortages create a higher likelihood of patient deaths from:
- Accidental injuries
- Cancer
- Chronic lower respiratory disease
- Heart disease
- Stroke
Impact of Nursing Shortages on Care Delivery Nationally
Nursing shortages can impact healthcare delivery in the U.S. in the following ways:
- Higher patient-to-nurse ratios
- Increased medical errors
- Higher mortality rates
- Increased nurse burnout and turnover
Nursing Shortage Causes
A number of factors are considered the main causes for the U.S. nurse shortage.
Retirements
As of 2022, 700,000 U.S. registered nurses had recently retired or were expected to retire in the next five years.
High Turnover
Drivers of nurses leaving the profession include:
- Other higher-paying roles in healthcare
- Burnout
- Poor leadership
- Feeling unappreciated
- High patient-to-nurse ratios
- Difficult transitions from school to practice
Education Shortfall
There were 65,000-plus qualified applications turned away from nursing programs in 2023 because of capacity constraints, including the following:
- Limited classrooms
- Faculty shortages
- Insufficient clinical sites
- Lack of clinical preceptors
- Funding limitations
Greater Demand
The U.S. population aged 65 and over is projected to grow 41% between 2022 and 2050 to a total of 82 million people, or about 25% of the population.
Drivers of increased healthcare needs include:
- Chronic diseases
- Comorbidities
- Longer lifespans
- Treatable (formerly terminal) conditions
- More active aging population
Nursing Shortage Solutions
Potential solutions for reducing the shortage of nurses include the following.
Education-Employer Partnerships
Ways to expand the nursing workforce include:
- Retired and semiretired nurses serve as preceptors.
- Students work as supervised nurse technicians.
- Simulation technology hours count toward clinical hours.
- Hospitals fund scholarships for nurses and provide student debt support.
- Schools offer accelerated nursing programs for nonnursing college graduates.
Government Initiatives
Proposed national legislation includes the following:
- Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students (TEAMS) Act
- Expands medical training opportunities in rural and underserved communities
- Creates grant funding for medical training programs
State initiatives in Oklahoma include the following:
- Oklahoma’s Reach Higher program
- Helps adults complete degree programs in critical occupations
- Includes RNs and LPNs/LVNs as priority fields
Employer Efforts
Healthcare organizations can improve their retention of nurses in ways such as the following:
- Empower nurses
- Provide higher pay
- Offer flexible scheduling
- End mandatory overtime
- Provide wellness and stress support
Nursing Shortage Improvements
Although the nursing shortage continues in Oklahoma and across the country, there are signs of improvement following the record workforce losses during and immediately following the pandemic. Workloads for nurses have decreased by 20% to 25%, education levels among nurses have risen, and total nursing employment has increased. The nursing workforce has also become more diverse, with a doubling in the number of Hispanic nurses.
At the same time, ongoing shortages, particularly in rural areas, highlight the need for continued coordination among educators, healthcare employers, and policymakers to strengthen the nursing workforce.
Sources
America’s Health Rankings, Rural Population in Oklahoma
American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet
American Nurses Enterprise, “Nurse Retention Strategies: How to Combat Nurse Turnover”
American Nurses Enterprise, “Why Nurses Quit and Leave the Profession”
Becker’s Hospital Review, “Which States Have the Most Nurses, Per Capita?”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About Rural Health
Congresswoman Carol Miller, “Miller, Veasey, Graves, and Carter Reintroduce the Community Training, Education, and Access for Medical Students Act”
DOTMed, “Expanding Healthcare Provider Training and Access in Rural Areas”
Health Resources and Services Administration, NCHWA Nursing Workforce Dashboard
Health Resources and Services Administration, Workforce Projections
International Journal of Nursing and Health Care Research, “Addressing Health Inequities Through Simulation Training and Education in Rural and Tribal Communities”
Kootenai Health, “Accelerated Nursing Program Students Announced”
National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “NCSBN Research Highlights Small Steps Toward Nursing Workforce Recovery; Burnout and Staffing Challenges Persist”
Nursing CE Central, “Providence Nurses Partner With WSU in Dual Workforce Pipeline”
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma’s 100 Critical Occupations (2022-2032)
Oklahoma Hospital Association, “2024 Workforce Survey Report”
StateImpact Oklahoma, “Oklahoma Nursing Schools Ramp Up Admissions Amid Worker Shortage”
StatPearls, “Nursing Shortage”
Trackbill, Community TEAMS Act of 2026