Nurses are the largest group of health workers. They run wards, clinics, vaccination drives and home visits. Every health goal, from safe births to chronic disease care, depends on having enough well-trained nurses.
The workforce today
WHO's State of the World's Nursing 2025 report found the nursing workforce grew from 27.9 million in 2018 to 29.8 million in 2023 [1]. The shortage fell from 6.2 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 2023, and is projected to fall to 4.1 million by 2030 [1].
Uneven spread
- About 78% of nurses work in countries with just 49% of the world's people [1].
- 1 in 7 nurses worldwide are foreign-born, rising to 23% in high-income countries [1].
- Women make up 85% of the nursing workforce [1].
- 33% of nurses are under 35, while 19% are expected to retire in the next 10 years [1].
What nursing education needs
Low-income countries are training nurses faster than high-income countries, but many graduates cannot find jobs [1]. WHO calls on countries to strengthen local education, match qualifications to defined roles, and prepare nurses for digital tools and climate-related care [1]. 62% of countries now report advanced practice nursing roles, up from 53% in 2020 [1].
Simulation labs, online learning and clinical placements in community settings are growing parts of nurse training. They help schools train more students without overloading hospitals.
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Who nurses are
The State of the World's Nursing 2025 report used data from all 194 WHO member states. That is a 33% rise in the number of countries reporting since 2020 [1].
Rich countries rely heavily on nurses trained elsewhere. That can drain poorer countries that paid to train them. WHO asks high-income countries to review this reliance and to strengthen agreements with the countries they recruit from [1].
Graduates without jobs
Low-income countries are increasing nurse graduate numbers faster than high-income countries [1]. But in many places, more graduates do not mean more nurses per person. Populations grow faster, and there are not enough paid posts [1]. WHO says countries must create jobs so graduates are hired, and improve working conditions [1].
An ageing workforce in some countries
In 20 countries, mostly high-income, more nurses are expected to retire than to join [1]. That leaves fewer experienced nurses to mentor new ones. Nursing schools in those countries face pressure to train more students, faster, while clinical teachers are also retiring.
Leadership and new roles
- 82% of countries have a senior government nursing official [1].
- 66% have leadership training for nurses, but only 25% of low-income countries offer it [1].
- Advanced practice nurses, who can take on more clinical work, are found in 62% of countries [1].
Advanced practice nurses have been shown to widen access and improve care in many settings [1]. Training them needs master's level courses and clinical supervisors.
WHO's priorities for 2026–2030
- Create and fairly spread nursing jobs, especially where care is scarce.
- Strengthen local nurse education and match qualifications to real roles.
- Improve working conditions, fair pay and mental well-being support.
- Develop nursing regulation and advanced practice roles.
- Promote gender equity and protect nurses in fragile and conflict settings.
- Prepare nurses for digital tools and climate-related care.
- Build nursing leadership with fair access to training.
Each of these has a direct link to what nursing schools teach and how they partner with hospitals [1].
Where the nurses are
About 78% of the world's nurses work in countries that hold just 49% of the world's people [1]. Some regions have plenty of nurses per person. Others have very few. This gap affects whether people can get basic care like childbirth support, vaccinations and chronic disease checks.
Women in nursing
Women make up 85% of the nursing workforce [1]. WHO lists gender equity as a policy priority [1]. Fair pay, safe workplaces, flexible hours and paths into leadership help nursing schools attract and keep students, and help hospitals keep staff.
Nurses' mental health
Workloads and trauma rose during and after COVID-19 [1]. Yet only 42% of responding countries have support for nurses' mental health [1]. Burnout pushes nurses to leave the profession early. Teaching coping skills and building support into training and work can help keep them.
What modern nursing courses include
- Clinical skills practice in simulation labs before working with patients.
- Community and home care placements, not only hospital wards.
- Digital skills for electronic records and remote monitoring [1].
- Care for people affected by heat, floods and other climate events [1].
- Leadership and teamwork training.
Key numbers at a glance
- 29.8 million nurses worldwide in 2023.
- Shortage of 5.8 million in 2023, projected to fall to 4.1 million by 2030.
- 85% of nurses are women.
- 1 in 7 nurses were born abroad.
- Only 42% of countries support nurses' mental health.
Training more nurses only helps if there are jobs, good conditions and support to keep them.
Where to read more
All figures in this article come from public sources listed below. For more detail, start with the State of the World's Nursing 2025 report, which includes a free profile for every country. Each is free to read online.
What this means
Training more nurses is only half the task. Countries also need jobs, fair pay and mental health support to keep them. Only 42% of countries reported provisions for nurses' mental health support [1].
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Sources
Banner image: Student Tim Robinson during 2012 Nursing Idol competition (6890396778) by Germanna CC, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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