CNO Roundtable 2026
Q2. Compared to a year ago, are your staffing and retention better, worse, or about the same?
NURSING WORKFORCE
Danielle Gabele • Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital
Thanks to our robust nurse residency program (which is currently undergoing PTA accreditation) and a lot of local interest, we have been able to fill our cohorts with great applicants. Our turnover rates are very low, which we’re so proud of. We’re recovering well.
Karen Grimley • UCLA Health
Our staffing and retention have improved. I believe it comes down to the environment we’ve worked hard to create: preventing workplace violence, providing peer support, and reducing risk. Culture matters — when nurses feel valued and protected, they stay.
Derrek Hidalgo • California Rehabilitation Institute
Our staffing has improved. We have normal attrition, which is expected, but our partnership and communication with our HR team has been successful in identifying our staffing needs and keeping our roster in a positive space.
Katie Hughes • Casa Colina Hospital
Competition for experienced nurses remains strong. Our investment in mentorship and shared governance has led to measurable improvements in retention, and our new grad RN program enables us to replace turnover, retirements, and internal promotions without large staffing gaps.
Leila Ibushi-Thompson • Adventist Health White Memorial
Intentional workforce planning, stronger nurse residency programs, and visible executive rounding have made a big difference. Leadership development for frontline managers has been one of our most effective retention strategies — engaged leaders create engaged teams.
David Marshall • Cedars-Sinai
Our staffing and retention are strong and holding steady. A big contributor is our RN residency program. Bringing in new grads in cohorts and providing structured onboarding and development has helped us stabilize staffing and build a solid recruitment pipeline.
Stacie Miller • Henry Mayo
Our staffing and retention have improved. One of the most impactful drivers has been our local college partnership, which lets us build early relationships with potential future staff. Keeping our preceptors supported and engaged also aids student outcomes and long-term retention.
Theresa Murphy • USC Verdugo Hills Hospital
Our retention is better than a year ago. I can’t say how much the state of the economy may be in play, but we have placed a lot of emphasis on creating a friendly, collegial environment, and I think that has helped.
Jinhee Nguyen • Huntington Health
Our staffing and retention have improved significantly, due in large part to our data-driven strategic staffing optimization program, which focuses on forecasting patient demand, balancing resources across units, and identifying pressure points early. Staff feel the difference.
Lesley Wininger • Glendale Memorial Hospital
Our turnover has improved significantly. One key strategy we’ve implemented is 30- and 90-day check-ins and “stay interviews” with staff. These help us identify what’s going well and where we can improve, and offer invaluable insight into departmental culture.
Alexis Zamarripa • PIH Health Downey Hospital
Our staffing and retention are significantly stronger, largely due to initiatives that foster a positive work culture where nurses feel valued and empowered. We have also refined our hiring process to ensure we select candidates who are deeply committed to serving our communities. ■
View this article in the May 2026 Flip Mag.
In this Article: Leadership and Management, Nursing Workforce
