February 4, 2026
Whitepaper: The State of Nursing Communication in 2026
Hospitals are sending more messages than ever, yet critical information still isn’t reaching nurses when it matters most.
Seventy percent of nurses report receiving workplace updates several times per week, but many still miss essential safety protocols, compliance updates and policy changes. The issue isn’t volume. Traditional communication channels are not designed for shift-based, non-desk roles, creating gaps that affect retention, patient safety and regulatory risk.
The State of Nursing Communication Report draws on survey findings from 1,000 U.S. hospital nurses across full-time, part-time and travel roles to quantify how communication breakdowns show up in daily operations. The data reveals how delayed, irrelevant or missed messages contribute to stress, disengagement and downstream patient care issues.
This report outlines where communication is breaking down and what hospital leaders can do to fix it, using real data from the nursing workforce.
Key takeaways include:
- Where and why nurses miss safety, policy and compliance updates,
- How email and paper-based communication fail shift-based staff,
- The connection between miscommunication, burnout and turnover risk, and
- Four strategic changes leaders can implement to improve reach and relevance.
Click Here to Download Whitepaper