ShiftMed Knowledge Center

Hospitals are heading into 2026 facing workforce challenges like never before. Surging patient volumes, unpredictable census swings, and skyrocketing labor costs are straining nursing teams to the limit. Reactive staffing is no longer enough. Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) must tackle workforce planning challenges in healthcare head-on to protect patient care and manage costs effectively.

Most hospitals still plan staffing based on last week’s census and gut instinct. That approach is costing billions in overtime, travel contracts, and lost productivity. The truth? Reactive healthcare staffing is inefficient, and it’s a strategic liability for C-suite leaders.

Hospital and health system census is never static. While some seasonal trends are predictable, it’s the unexpected swings—holiday weeks, viral outbreaks, weather events, and other disruptions—that strain staffing and budgets.

Travel nursing fills staffing gaps quickly, but at a steep, often hidden cost that can quietly drain your budget. Studies show that a travel nurse can cost twice as much as a permanent or per diem nurse. Focusing solely on the hourly rate overlooks the bigger picture. In this article, we unpack the true cost of travel nursing, uncover the hidden expenses hospitals face, and explore more effective staffing alternatives.

In today’s healthcare landscape, even a 1% change in RN turnover can swing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and with national vacancy rates hovering around 10%, hospitals are losing $3.9–$5.8 million per year to staffing inefficiencies alone. For most health systems, that’s not a metric—it’s a margin killer.

As we enter 2026, healthcare leaders are confronting a hard truth: traditional staffing and scheduling methods no longer meet the demands of modern hospitals. Rising patient volumes, staff burnout, and persistent workforce shortages are pushing systems to their limits, while the next generation of nurses and clinicians expects flexibility, autonomy, and meaningful work.