Why do so many nurses leave the profession in Switzerland?

According to Obsan, the main causes are underpaid workers, tasks not in line with skills, and unsustainable stress levels. The VPOD points out that 75% of graduates start in the hospital, but as many as 53% drop out by the age of 40, precisely due to lack of adequate working conditions and professional recognition.

What exactly are the demands of the VPOD union?

The VPOD calls for better working conditions with reduced hours at equal pay, reassessment of all health professions (especially highly feminized ones), and mandatory accompaniment for new graduates during the first years of their careers. The initiative on nursing care was approved by an overwhelming majority, but the VPOD denounces that five years after its approval, concrete progress remains insufficient.

Who are the SDGs and why are they not enough to cover the shortage?

Socio-health workers (OSS) have secondary level II training. They are currently used to compensate for the shortage of tertiary registered nurses, but the SDGs are also leaving the profession en masse for the same reasons: unsustainable working conditions and lack of recognition.

What does this shortage of staff mean for access to care in Switzerland?

Fewer qualified staff means longer waiting lists, higher risks of error, and declining quality of service. Rising hospital costs can also lead to increases in health insurance premiums, creating a vicious cycle that penalizes both patients and staff left behind.

How can I learn more about job opportunities in the Swiss healthcare sector?

You can consult specialised job offers in the healthcare sector and monitor calls for tenders from facilities that are actively investing in staff attractiveness and retention. Dialogue with associations and trade unions such as the VPOD is essential to understand the ongoing negotiations on wages and working conditions.

Swiss hospitals: 1,700 nurses fleeing every year (cross-border guide)

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 8 September 2026

Swiss alpine landscape symbolizing the national healthcare system facing a critical nursing shortage crisis

The Obsan reveals that 75% of nursing graduates start in the hospital, but at 40 years old it drops to 47%. The VPOD immediately asks for better conditions.

Context

In brief

1,700 diplomated nurses abandon the sector every year in Switzerland
75% starts in hospital, but 47% remains at age 40
VPOD demands reduced working hours at equal pay and salary revaluation

Key Facts

What: Massive shortage of healthcare professionals in Switzerland
Source: Obsan (Swiss Health Observatory), recent report
Key data: 1,700 diplomated nurses abandon the sector every year
Critical percentages: 75% starts in an institution, 47% remains at age 40
Main actor: VPOD trade union demands immediate action
Temporary solution: Resort to healthcare assistants (OSS), insufficient

The Swiss Health Observatory has sounded yet another alarm: more and more healthcare professionals are abandoning medicine and nursing. This is not a marginal phenomenon. According to the Obsan report, the country is missing approximately 1,700 diplomated nurses per year — a figure that does not even account for those who, after completing their training, nonetheless decide to leave the sector.

The numbers speak for themselves. 75% of people who graduated in nursing care at the tertiary level start working in a healthcare institution. But it is not a stable achievement. At age 40, this percentage drops to about 47%: almost one in two have abandoned the profession. A hemorrhage of expertise that puts at risk the ability of the Swiss healthcare system to provide quality care.

The VPOD trade union denounces the causes: underpaid workers, tasks that do not match the skills acquired, unsustainable stress levels. This is not an abstract criticism — it is the direct reflection of reality in wards and departments. Pressure has increased, staffing levels remain insufficient, wages do not keep pace with inflation. The result is predictable: those who have the skills leave.

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Operational details

What these numbers mean for access to care

Staff shortages are not an administrative abstraction. It has concrete effects on the daily lives of those who live and work in Switzerland. Hospitals and healthcare facilities must manage the same number of patients with fewer qualified staff — resulting in longer waiting lists, higher risks of error, and declining quality of service.

The Swiss health system, however advanced, depends on the availability of qualified personnel. When 53% of tertiary graduates drop out by the age of 40, it is not a matter of natural turnover — it is a net loss of public and private investment in training. Every student who completes their Bachelor's Degree in Nursing has benefited from public resources (scholarships, training, internships). If you give up after 5-10 years of work, the return on thatinvestment is negative.

The initiative on nursing care, approved by an overwhelming majority of the Swiss population, should already address these issues. But the VPOD points out that five years after its approval, concrete progress remains insufficient. This means that the commitments made by the federal and cantonal levels have not yet translated into tangible improvements in wages, hours or working conditions.

The burden on cantons and structures

This crisis has a federal dimension, but affects it differently at the cantonal level.

Recommended tools

For an updated estimate, use the net salary calculator and the CHF-EUR exchange comparator.

Key points

What Changes for Healthcare Workers

If you are a qualified or trainee nurse, here is the picture: your profession is in high demand, but working conditions do not automatically improve. VPOD's demands — reduction of working hours at equal salary, revaluation of feminized professions, support for newly graduated professionals — have not yet been implemented on a large scale.

The first step is union dialogue. VPOD represents thousands of workers in the Swiss public and social sector, including healthcare. If you are not a member, considering membership means accessing union support, collective campaigns for improved working conditions, and representation in negotiations. It is not a guarantee of immediate success, but it is the channel through which pressure on hospital management and cantonal governments is realized.

Second, consult current salary data for your canton and your level of qualification. A correct Swiss paycheck must reflect your position and qualifications. If you notice significant discrepancies from the standards, it is not irrational to consider cantonal mobility or further training. Continuing education in healthcare is almost always valued by healthcare facilities.

Third, if you are in training and are considering leaving, speak with a mentor or with your canton's vocational guidance service. Statistics show that 53% leave within 40 years — but this is not destiny. It is the result of unsustainable working conditions, not personal incompetence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do so many nurses leave the profession in Switzerland?: According to Obsan, the main causes are underpaid workers, tasks not in line with skills, and unsustainable stress levels. The VPOD points out that 75% of graduates start in the hospital, but as many as 53% drop out by the age of 40, precisely due to lack of adequate working conditions and professional recognition.
What exactly are the demands of the VPOD union?: The VPOD calls for better working conditions with reduced hours at equal pay, reassessment of all health professions (especially highly feminized ones), and mandatory accompaniment for new graduates during the first years of their careers. The initiative on nursing care was approved by an overwhelming majority, but the VPOD denounces that five years after its approval, concrete progress remains insufficient.
Who are the SDGs and why are they not enough to cover the shortage?: Socio-health workers (OSS) have secondary level II training. They are currently used to compensate for the shortage of tertiary registered nurses, but the SDGs are also leaving the profession en masse for the same reasons: unsustainable working conditions and lack of recognition.
What does this shortage of staff mean for access to care in Switzerland?: Fewer qualified staff means longer waiting lists, higher risks of error, and declining quality of service. Rising hospital costs can also lead to increases in health insurance premiums, creating a vicious cycle that penalizes both patients and staff left behind.
How can I learn more about job opportunities in the Swiss healthcare sector?: You can consult specialised job offers in the healthcare sector and monitor calls for tenders from facilities that are actively investing in staff attractiveness and retention. Dialogue with associations and trade unions such as the VPOD is essential to understand the ongoing negotiations on wages and working conditions.