Do you want to switch jobs soon? There may be fewer options than you think.
Healthcare has hired jobs after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, there are still more healthcare job openings than in advance pandemics, but the number of jobs is declining, according to a new report from the job listings and employment platform.
A report analyzing job postings for the second quarter ending July 11th found the biggest decline in nursing. Job openings have decreased by 10% from the previous year, but have increased by 15.1% compared to February 1, 2020.
This trend is not exclusive to healthcare either. Many industries are delaying or planning employment, said senior economist Daniel Calvertson, who actually authored the Employment Lab and the Report.
“Healthcare was generally considered to endure a recession or prevent economic economies before the pandemic, but it is thought to probably endure a recession as it taught us that healthcare could be affected just like any other labor market,” Culbertson said.
Healthcare is unique. The recession in nursing openings in particular is likely due in part to nurses returning nurses in-house for full-time employment, rather than relying on staffing that are prone to frequent departures, like travel nurses.
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A 2022 analysis of Journal Health Affairs found that the total number of registered nurses fell by more than 100,000 in 2021. This is the largest decline in 40 years. That year, more than 300,000 people left the healthcare workforce and struck employers with temporary employment.
The recent decline in posts could be a sign of a “slowdown in the overall labor market,” but perhaps “healthcare has returned to a long-term (pre-pandemic) trend,” Culbertson said.
Job openings also fell by 8.8% due to personal care and home health positions, while medical technicians fell by 8.4%.
Don't be afraid, job seekers! However, this is not necessarily bad news for health professionals looking for a new employer.
The demand for healthcare workers is still high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2025 there were over 1.5 million healthcare and social assistance job openings. This is the lowest since 2021, but is more than 25.5% higher than the same month in 2019 before the pandemic began.
And not all healthcare roles have reduced openings.
For example, the actual report shows that until July 11th, posts by doctors and surgeons increased by 3.7%, and posts within the pharmacy industry increased by 2%.
