New data reveals significant improvements to Florida’s health care workforce shortage

Turnover rates and job vacancies in Florida’s health care industry are starting to drop, according to the Florida Hospital Association (FHA).

FHA officials released data this month that shows there has been progress in filling many nursing and associated health professional positions. Officials are starting to fill many of those positions across the Sunshine State after years of what was considered a health-care crisis.

“Florida hospitals are leading the charge, working tirelessly to address the state’s critical health care workforce shortage and their innovative approaches are resulting in meaningful improvements. The hard work is far from over. We must continue to build on this momentum and prioritize workforce development to attract and retain top talent in the health care sector as the state’s population grows,” said Mary C. Mayhew, president and CEO of FHA. 

According to FHA figures, there was a 28.1% decrease in the general job vacancy rate in the state’s health care industry in the past two years. That figure has dropped to 11% in 2024 thus far compared to 2022.

Nursing vacancy rates in the state’s medical field dropped to 7.8%, down by 62% compared to two years ago.

The overall turnover rate, when employees leave a job for another, in the state’s allied health care positions now stands at 15.8%, a drop of 39% compared to the historically high 26% in 2022. There are still some 16,000 nursing vacancies across Florida. But the nursing figure is substantially down from the 58,000 two years ago.

Nursing turnover rates also decreased to a 17.6% rate in 2024, down by 45%, which was a historic turnover rate of 32% in 2022.

There are still areas of the health care industry that have a vast amount of openings in positions. FHA officials say there are 8,000 vacancies in the allied health professions. Surgical technicians, procedural technicians and medical technician position are seeing the highest amount of vacancies in the state.

“It’s essential that we address the immediate staffing shortages and build a strong, sustainable workforce for generations to come. Through future record investments and continued collaboration with state policymakers, educational institutions and community leaders, I’m confident we can continue to meet the ever-evolving health care needs of our state’s residents and visitors,” Mayhew said in a prepared statement. “As we celebrate this success, our commitment to creating a resilient and robust workforce remains stronger than ever to meet the health and wellness needs of every Floridian.”