Virginia Healthcare System Faces Escalating Nurse Shortfall

A new workforce brief commissioned by ECPI University, an innovative Virginia-based training provider and one of the Commonwealth's largest producers of nursing and allied health credentials, finds that Virginia faces a severe and growing shortage of nursing and healthcare professionals, with more than 17,000 registered nurse positions currently unfilled statewide. The brief, Closing Virginia's Skills Gaps in Nursing & Health Care, identifies a misalignment between education and training options available to students, and the demands of its largest employment sector.

"Virginia has no shortage of talented, motivated people who want careers in healthcare," said Mark Dreyfus, president of ECPI University. "The problem is a system that wasn't built for the students who actually need it most — working adults, parents, veterans, and career changers who can't press pause on their lives for years at a time. Closing Virginia's healthcare workforce gap and maintaining world-class quality of patient care and access demands that we deliver models aligned with the needs of these learners."

Despite ranking among the top states in the nation for educational attainment, Virginia has only about 76 available workers for every 100 open jobs. Healthcare and social services represent 13% of all jobs in the Commonwealth, and nearly 44% of Virginia neighborhoods lack sufficient access to primary care doctors, leaving an estimated 3.8 million residents underserved.

According to the brief, Virginia's nursing shortage reflects not only a shortage of supply but also a lack of programs aligned with the complex schedules and needs of working adults. The typical nursing student today looks very different from the traditional college-age learner. Nationally, the average age of a registered nurse is approximately 42, and a significant share of nursing students are over 25. Nationally, the average nursing student is in their late 30s to early 40s, and roughly one in five nursing students is raising children.

For non-traditional nursing and healthcare students, fixed semester calendars, extended program timelines, and rigid scheduling create significant barriers to entry and completion. Many cannot afford to leave the workforce for extended periods or restructure their lives around programs that were not designed with them in mind. Nearly 36% of ECPI's student body is enrolled in nursing programs, with an average student age of 30. Approximately 40% have a military affiliation, and 56% are Pell Grant recipients.