Professional Nursing Issue: Nursing Workforce Shortage

Professional Nursing Issue: Nursing Workforce Shortage

1. Related to Insufficient Nursing Preceptors

   • Stakeholders
     • New/Student Nurses
     • Nursing Preceptors
     • Hospitals
   • Federal Legislation: S.131 - PRECEPT Nurses Act https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/131/text?s=2&r=14&hl=nursing+shortage%27
     • Pros
       • Encourages more nurses to become Preceptors
       • Supports opportunities for new nurses
     • Cons
       • May not directly solve nursing shortage
       • Lost tax revenue due to incentive tax credits
     • This act provides a $2000 dollar tax credit to any nurse that works at least 200 hours as a trainer for new nurses or nursing students.
   • Scope and Impact
     • According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2025), 80,162 qualified applications were turned away from nursing programs in 2024 and the barriers included insufficient preceptors.
     • According to Livingstone (2024) increased support and incentives for preceptors can lead to increased effectiveness and better relationships with the new nurse.
     • As Davis (2024) highlights, supporting preceptors can help new nurses bridge the difficult transition to practice. Hospitals incur significant costs from nurse turnover and according to NSI Nursing Solutions (2025) on average each RN turnover costs $60,000 dollars. Any improvement in new nurse retention reduce costs associated with training.