We’re Funding the Symptoms, Not the Disease: The Real Problem Behind the Nursing Crisis

“If you would hesitate or outright refuse—to hand more money to someone with a gambling problem, why are we pouring billions into expanding nursing programs and fancy AI software, while ignoring the real root cause of the nursing crisis?”

Because the truth is: we’re funding the symptoms, not the disease. And unless we face what’s brewing beneath the surface, we’re headed for a travesty.”

For years, policymakers, hospital leaders, and academic institutions have pushed solutions like bigger nursing schools, sophisticated recruitment software, and AI-driven staffing platforms.

These efforts sound impressive. They look good on grant proposals. They make for glossy headlines about “innovation.”

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

👉 None of this matters if we can’t keep nurses in the profession.

Why the Pipeline Isn’t Enough

We keep pouring money into systems to churn out new graduates—yet the very environment those graduates enter is what’s driving nurses away.

We’re so focused on building a bigger pipeline that we’ve ignored the gaping hole at the other end.

A Real-World Example

Consider the 2025 State of Nursing report from Cross Country Healthcare and Florida Atlantic University, surveying 2,600 nurses and nursing students. It found:

✅ 65% of nurses report experiencing stress and burnout

✅ Only 60% say they’d choose nursing again if given the choice

✅ 59% cite short staffing and high patient ratios as top concerns

✅ Over half feel undervalued by leadership

“Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, yet they’re still being asked to carry an unsustainable load… If we don’t act now, we risk losing an entire generation of dedicated professionals.”

— John A. Martins, CEO, Cross Country Healthcare (Read the full article)

This report is just one more confirmation of what many of us in the field have been saying for years:

Our crisis isn’t a shortage of new nurses—it’s a shortage of reasons for nurses to stay.

We’re Ignoring the Root Cause

What’s brewing beneath the surface?

• Unsafe staffing ratios leaving nurses physically and emotionally exhausted

• Pay and benefits that don’t reflect the intense demands of the work

• A culture that sees nurses as expendable resources rather than respected professionals

• Leadership making decisions far from the bedside, with little input from those doing the actual work

Instead of fixing these problems, we keep throwing money at:

• AI-driven scheduling tools

• Apps promising “efficiency”

• Bigger nursing classes to replace the nurses leaving in droves

“It’s like installing fancy appliances in a kitchen while the floor is collapsing beneath it.”

How We Should Be Spending Our Money

Instead of investing in distractions, we need to fund real solutions:

✅ Safe Staffing Ratios — enforceable standards that protect patients and staff alike.

✅ Retention Incentives — pay, benefits, and bonuses tied to experience and loyalty.

✅ Mental Health and Wellness Support — real programs, not just token EAP brochures.

✅ Frontline Voice in Decisions — involving nurses meaningfully in policy and operational planning.

Until we fund the root causes, we’ll keep watching new grads burn out and leave faster than we can train them.

Throwing more money at the nursing crisis without fixing the culture and conditions pushing nurses away is like handing cash to an addict and hoping for change.

It’s time to treat the disease—not just the symptoms.

👇 Let’s Talk

What do you believe is the real cure for the nursing crisis?

Book a call, share your experiences, or DM me if you’d like to collaborate on meaningful solutions.

Clarity and action start with honest conversations. Let’s have one.

-Coach MT