million job openings across the industry—down from 2 million during the pandemic’s height—the demand for nursing professionals is urgent. The pandemic pushed many nurses to leave the profession or switch to less demanding roles.

In 2023, more than 40% of hospitals operated at a loss due to increased labor costs from the pandemic. However, travel nurses aren’t the only solution for addressing staffing gaps. The per diem model, which enables hospitals to staff based on need, offers a more tangible alternative. The model also gives nurses the freedom to choose their schedules and locations—similar to the benefits they appreciate with travel nursing.
With per diem nursing, healthcare systems can address immediate staffing shortages while tapping into significant cost savings. It supports a more agile workforce and re-engages nurses who are looking for greater control over their careers. Given the unsustainable costs associated with travel nurses, it’s time that healthcare systems rethink their staffing strategies to create a more resilient workforce.
The nursing shortage has roots stretching back before the pandemic. Historically, high turnover and burnout rates have plagued the profession, but COVID-19 exacerbated these issues, pushing an unprecedented number of nurses to the brink. A 2022 survey revealed that over 30% of nurses were likely to leave their roles, primarily citing unmanageable workloads and insufficient work-life balance.
As demand for registered nurses rises—projected to grow by 6% over the next decade, outpacing the national job growth average—the strain on the workforce will only intensify, especially as thousands of nurses retire, switch careers, or leave due to burnout. Although travel nurses offered short-term relief, the solution has proven costly: revenues for the largest travel nursing firms exploded from $13 billion in 2019 to $62 billion in 2023.
