AAPACN and LTC 100 Release New Survey Findings on What's Driving Nurse Retention and Turnover in Long-Term Care

The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN^®), in collaboration with Long Term Care 100 (LTC 100),  released new survey findings showing that decisions to stay in or leave long-term care are closely tied to workplace culture and relationships with frontline leadership. The findings were unveiled at the LTC 100 Leadership Conference, where national leaders are convening to address the future of long-term care.

The nationwide survey was conducted in November 2025 and yielded data from nearly 500 nurses and certified nurse aides. Respondents were asked to share their perspectives on post-acute care, drivers of job satisfaction, and challenges that affect their ability to do their jobs.

The findings provide a timely look into the evolving nursing workforce landscape, which reveals a complex dynamic between deep professional purpose and growing workplace challenges. Overall, the majority (65.2%) of long-term care nurses are happy in their current position, but 73.8% also report that their job has become more difficult in the last 18 months.

According to the findings, nurses report that meaningful relationships with residents (31%), a strong sense of purpose (28%) and team and work culture (15%) are the most important factors influencing their decision to remain in long-term care. At the same time, increasing regulatory burden (16%), staffing shortages (12.5%) and leadership gaps (7%) are contributing to dissatisfaction and burnout.

"These findings reinforce what many in the field are experiencing every day," said Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, Chief Nursing Officer at AAPACN. "Nurses are deeply committed to their residents and the care they provide, but they are also navigating increasing complexity in their roles. Organizations that recognize and address these challenges will be better positioned to retain and support their workforce."

The survey also points to what's driving workplace retention. Nurses are most likely to stay in environments that support a strong work culture, offer flexibility and reinforce a sense of purpose. At the same time, the findings highlight clear opportunities for improvement, particularly around the growing regulatory and documentation burden, underscoring the importance of equipping nurses with the tools and resources needed to manage these demands more effectively. A nurse's decision to stay or leave is closely tied to their relationship with their supervisor, underscoring a crucial opportunity to invest in stronger leadership across post-acute care.

The release of this data comes at a critical time for the long-term care industry, as providers continue to face workforce shortages, regulatory pressure, and increasing demand for complex care. AAPACN is leveraging these survey insights to further support its members and the broader long-term care community with education, certification and evidence-based resources designed to improve both workforce retention and care quality.