The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), along with the National Forum of state nursing workforce centers, will launch the 2026 national nursing workforce survey on 25 March 2026. It will continue till September to assess workforce trends. Results from 2024 indicated a modest recovery after COVID-19, yet long-term stability remained unclear. About 39.9% of registered nurses (RNs) and 41.3% practical/vocational nurses plan to leave within 5 years, mainly because of insufficient pay, burnout, understaffing, stress, and heavy workloads. Brendan Martin, research director, NCSBN, reported that enhancing emotional health but stress and needs to evaluate sustained progress. These surveys have informed healthcare leaders, policymakers, and educators to strengthen workforce planning and patient case safety since 2013.
The NCSBN, along with the National Forum of state nursing workforce centers, conducted only national wide survey every 2 years, which mainly focuses on the U.S. nursing workforce. The 2026 national nursing workforce survey will collect data from a national representative sample of RN and licensed and practical/vocational nurses from April to September 2026. Selected participants will get surveys by email, with responses submitted by either survey method. Their input is viral as each respondent represents many peers. The results will inform workforce planning and healthcare safety. The analyzed results were published in the Journal of Nursing Regulation.
This collection of studies highlighted important issues in patient safety, regulations, nursing education, and leadership. Guidance adapted from NCSBN supports reductors systematically to assess criminal records of nursing students after provisional admission. It focuses on the relevance of practice, potential harm, timing, and severity with collaboration between employers and regulators. Leadership transition challenges in first-line nurse managers are addressed by an experience-based co-design method. It is guided by the Medical Research Council. The program integrates technical skills with emotional preparedness. This improves care quality and workforce readiness.
Strong collaboration between educators and regulators is important to ensure components, safety, and ethical practice amid evolving healthcare demands. This collaboration highlights innovation, curriculum alignment, and professional standards which include emerging methods. Research on regulatory processes shows that public engagement is important but marked by dissatisfaction when concerns are not addressed transparently. Good communication, responsiveness, and support can improve results and trust in patients.
Medication management in Alzheimer’s disease remains complex, with caregiver burden, care transition, and polypharmacy posing risk. Multidisciplinary system-level intervention can increase safety and adherence, but it needs better coordination and training. Studies on continuing competence programs in Canada reveal that there are consistent core requirements but differed implementation. Evidence-based, content-sensitive methods are needed to optimize regulatory impact, patient safety, and workforce collaboration effectiveness. NCSBN chief officer stated that NCSBN is a leading source of nursing workforce data, academic leaders, policymakers, equipping regulator and administrators with critical research evidence to guide decisions and strengthen patient protection in the healthcare system.
Reference: NCSBN. NCSBN Launches 2026 Nursing Workforce Survey. Published March 26, 2026. Accessed March 26, 2026. NCSBN Launches 2026 Nursing Workforce Survey
