TL;DR
- Is Florida running short on nurses? Yes. The Florida Hospital Association projects a shortage of 59,100 nurses statewide by 2035.
- Why are nurses leaving? Burnout leads the list, but stalled careers matter too. About 40% of registered nurses (RNs) nationally say they plan to leave the workforce within five years.
- What can employers do about it? Help nurses grow where they already work. Online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs let nurses advance without leaving their jobs.
- Can people outside nursing become nurses? Yes. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), medical assistants (MAs) and other entry-level health care workers can earn a BSN online while they keep working.
Ask an Orlando nurse how work is going, and you may hear a familiar story. Short-staffed shifts. Extra hours. Not enough time with patients. Nurses have been saying it for years, and the data backs them up.
The nursing shortage is a workforce problem. It is also a community problem. When nurses burn out or leave, patients wait longer for care and the nurses who stay carry more of the load. For the employers who depend on them, it has become a business problem too.
How big is Florida’s nursing shortage?
Central Florida keeps growing, and so does its need for care. The Florida Hospital Association projects the state will be short 59,100 nurses by 2035 as experienced nurses retire and demand rises.
What does it cost when a nurse leaves?
Turnover is expensive for everyone involved. Nationally, hospitals spend an average of $60,090 to replace one bedside RN, according to the 2026 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report. It takes 78 days, on average, to fill an experienced RN role. Nearly one in four new nurses leave within a year.
The cost isn’t only financial. Each open position means heavier assignments for the nurses still on the floor. Heavier assignments lead to more burnout. More burnout leads to more resignations. Breaking that cycle starts with keeping the nurses you already have.
Why do nurses leave, and why do they stay?
Stress and burnout are the top reasons nurses leave the profession, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). A 2026 Nurse.org survey found 43% of nurses are likely to leave the bedside within a year.
But nurses also leave when they stop seeing a future where they are. Career advancement is one of the top reasons RNs resign, according to NSI. A nurse who wants to teach, lead a unit or become a nurse practitioner will find that opportunity somewhere. The question is whether it happens with their current employer or across town.
In my work preparing nurse leaders, I see this every day. Nurses rarely want to stop learning. They want a path that respects their schedules, their families and the patients who count on them.
How can education keep nurses in the profession?
Education gives nurses room to grow without leaving the work they care about. It opens doors to new roles, such as charge nurse, educator, nurse manager or advanced practice provider. It also strengthens the people who lead nursing teams. Supportive, well-prepared nurse managers are one of the best defenses against burnout on any unit.
What online nursing programs work for working nurses?
Herzing University, a private nonprofit university with an Orlando campus, offers online nursing programs designed for adults who are already working:
- RN to BSN: RNs with an associate degree in nursing (ASN) can earn a BSN online in as little as one year.
- MSN: BSN-prepared nurses can specialize in nursing leadership and administration, nursing education, public health, informatics or nurse practitioner tracks.
- DNP: Nurses can reach the highest level of clinical practice or leadership. BSN-prepared nurses can finish in 28 to 32 months and MSN-prepared nurses in 20 to 24 months.
Herzing’s BSN, MSN and DNP programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Online coursework means nurses can keep caring for patients in Orlando while they earn their next degree.
Can entry-level health care workers become nurses?
Yes, and many of them already work in Orlando’s hospitals, clinics and care facilities. CNAs, MAs, patient transporters and billing specialists know the patients and the systems. What many lack is a realistic way to go back to school.
Herzing’s online BSN combines online classes with in-person skills intensives and clinical rotations, so students can keep earning a paycheck while they train. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), paramedics and respiratory therapists can use a bridge pathway that builds on the credentials they already hold.
For workers, it is a path from an entry-level job to a family-sustaining career. For the community, it means more nurses who already live here and plan to stay.
How can Orlando employers support nurses who want to grow?
A few steps make a real difference:
- Make the path visible. Show nurses and support staff what the next role looks like and what it takes to get there.
- Help cover the cost. Tuition assistance signals long-term commitment to the people who receive it.
- Build flexible schedules. Leave room for clinical hours, intensives and family life.
- Connect students with mentors. Pair nurses in school with colleagues who have made the same climb.
- Listen early. Ask nurses where they want to be in five years before they start looking elsewhere.
Keep Orlando’s nurses in Orlando
Many of the nurses Orlando will need for the next decade are already here, working hard in its hospitals, clinics and care facilities. When employers help them grow, patients and the whole community gain a stronger, more stable health care workforce.
Learn how Herzing’s online nursing programs help nurses and health care workers advance their careers at herzing.edu/nursing.
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