The big picture: Nearly a quarter of new nursing graduates leave their roles within the first year, coinciding with a significant portion of the experienced nursing workforce approaching retirement.

Why it matters: This high turnover creates a critical "experience-complexity gap" in healthcare, straining systems, impacting patient care quality, and driving substantial recruitment costs.

Between the lines:

• 22.3% of new hires depart within 12 months.
• The average cost of turnover per nurse is $61,110.
• Lack of structured preceptorship and mentorship is a key driver of early departures.

Staffing & HR impact: Staffing firms face increased demand for experienced nurses and challenges in talent acquisition, while HR departments must prioritize robust mentorship programs to improve retention and reduce costly churn.

The bottom line: Investing in comprehensive support for new grads is essential to stabilize the nursing workforce and bridge the growing experience gap.