Virginia’s Nursing Community: A 2025 Update
Back in 2021, Glenn Youngkin, running for governor, expressed his intent to significantly enhance Virginia’s nursing workforce to tackle a pressing shortage. Fast forward to 2025—how are things looking for nursing in Virginia?
Recent data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing reveals that Virginia now boasts 70,000 registered nurses, translating to approximately 1,677 nurses per 100,000 residents. While this figure positions the state among the lower ranks nationally, the change is notable; in 2020, the state had only 47,000 registered nurses. So, it seems that efforts from Youngkin and others, over the past few years, have indeed made a positive impact.
First off, regulatory changes—like Virginia joining the Nurse Licensure Compact—have resulted in an influx of nurses relocating to the state. This compact allows nurses licensed in other states to practice in Virginia with their original credentials, which simplifies the transition process.
Moreover, increased funding aimed at drawing individuals into the nursing field, particularly within community colleges, has started to produce more local talent. For instance, last year, $4.5 million was allocated to the Earn to Learn program, and Virginia Commonwealth University has pledged to double its nursing enrollment to 1,400 and offer accelerated programs for nursing students at Brightpoint Community College.
The outlook for attracting nurses has greatly improved compared to the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Virginia faced a staggering 32% shortfall—around 22,000 unfilled nursing positions.
Nonetheless, it’s important for the next governor to maintain this momentum. The Virginia Healthcare Workforce Data Center indicates that by 2030, the state will need about 87,130 registered nurses to keep pace with its growing population.
As for the current gubernatorial candidates, neither Democrat Abigail Spanberger nor Republican Winsome Earle-Sears has outlined specific plans to boost the nursing workforce, unlike Youngkin back in 2021. But, it’s still early in the campaign, so there’s time for more clarity.
Sears often highlights the idea of building on “the successes of the past four years” during her campaign appearances. On the other hand, while Spanberger is focused on legislative efforts to lower prescription drug costs, she hasn’t yet tackled the nursing shortage directly.
This is significant, considering that Virginia’s population is aging, and during medical visits, patients spend about 86% of their time with nurses compared to just 13% with doctors. So, there’s clearly still work ahead—or at least an obligation to preserve the progress made in recent years.
