Survey of Mass. Nurses ‘Paints Dire Picture’ of Hospital Conditions
A new survey on the state of nursing in Massachusetts paints a dire picture of the conditions inside the Commonwealth's hospitals, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA)
MNA says registered nurses across the state continue to report high levels of patient care quality concerns, unsafe staffing, increasing workplace violence, and a lack of responsiveness from leaders. To escape the physical and emotional toil, more nurses are leaving the bedside.
The 2025 conducted by Beacon Research and commissioned by the MNA reflects input from more than 500 RNs across the state, including mostly non-union nurses.
Here are some highlights of the survey:
• 78% of RNs say hospital care quality has gotten worse in the last two years, including 49% who say it has gotten much worse. While slightly improved from the pandemic-era peak of 85% in 2023, this remains 39 points higher than pre-COVID levels.
• 67% report they do not have enough time to provide patients with the care and attention they need— up 22 points since before the pandemic.
• 49% of nurses are concerned on at least a weekly basis that unsafe staffing conditions could put their nursing license at risk.
• 37% of RNs say they would not feel safe admitting a family member to the unit on which they work.
Multiple challenges bedside RNs face have become even more serious since last year, according to the survey:
• Not having time to provide care/attention needed – 68% (up 1% from 2024)
• Reduction in ancillary staff – 65% (up 6% from 2024)
• Not having enough beds for all patients – 62% (up 3% from 2024)
• Inability to discharge patients to outside facilities – 52% (up 4% from 2024)
• Workplace violence or abuse – 47% (up 10% from 2024)
• Inadequate health insurance coverage – 44% (up 14% from 2024)
The survey specifically asked nurses if they had previously worked in a hospital setting, and if so, why they left. Among those nurses, unsafe staffing was the top reason (24%), followed by work hours/overtime/scheduling (18%), and burnout (12%). In addition, nurses expressed a serious concern for their nursing license due to unsafe staffing levels.
"Post-pandemic, nurses are experiencing acute problems with the Massachusetts healthcare system – unsafe staffing, workplace violence, and care access – that have grown worse, threatening patient safety and the health of the nursing profession," said Katie Murphy, MNA President and a practicing ICU nurse, in a statement. "This year's State of Nursing survey paints a stark picture of the environment nurses and patients face today but also highlights solutions nurses have collectively developed. At the bedside, organizing as unions, and within the halls of power, nurses are channeling our frustrations to demand positive change.”
MNA says that nurses across Massachusetts have called on state leaders to enact better standards related to RN staffing, hospital closures, workplace violence, and other pressing issues. The lack of regulation at the state and hospital level is negatively impacting patient care, according to nurses, with 59% indicating more regulations are needed to keep patients safe – an increase of five points from last year.
