Arizona hospitals are facing mounting pressure as the state’s nurse shortage ranks among the worst in the country, according to new national data. 

A new study of data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing found Arizona has just 1,686 nurses per 100,000 residents, putting the nursing shortage as the 10th worst in the nation. The U.S. average is 2,057 per 100,000. 

The numbers include 116,708 registered nurses and 11,126 nurse practitioners serving Arizona’s population. By comparison, Hawaii, who has the most nurses per capitia, has 2,967 nurses per 100,000 people. Utah has the worst, with just 1,340 per 100,000 patients. 

Healthcare leaders say the shortage translates into longer wait times, higher patient-to-nurse ratios, and greater burnout risk for those on the front lines. 

Maricopa isn’t immune to this shortage, said AnnaMarie Knorr, spokesperson for Maricopa’s only hospital, Exceptional Community Hospital. 

“Recruiting and retaining highly skilled healthcare professionals is always a priority,” she told InMaricopa this afternoon. “We are fortunate to be fully staffed with exceptional, high-quality nurses, many of whom live right here in our community. Their dedication allows us to continue delivering compassionate, patient-centered care, and we remain committed to keeping our team strong to meet the healthcare needs of our growing city.” 

Nationwide, shortages are being driven by a combination of retirements, pandemic burnout and a growing patient population as the country ages. In Arizona, rural hospitals face additional challenges in recruiting and retaining nurses, with some relying heavily on traveling nurses to fill staffing gaps. 

The company that published the ranking, CheapNursingCEUs, noted that the shortage presents not only a crisis for patient care, but also opportunities for nurses seeking work. 

“High-need states could offer you not just employment, but a chance to make a massive impact where it’s needed most,” the group said in its news release.