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3w ago

Spain Needs 100,000 Nurses as Regional Disparities Widen

High rates of temporary contracts paired with excessive caseloads are prompting Spanish nurses to seek work overseas to the detriment of patient well-being.

Encuentro divulgativo y participativo con la ciudadanía, organizado por el Colegio Oficial de Enfermería de Pontevedra ( COEPO ).
Personal sanitario en el CHUO. | Iñaki Osorio
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Overview

  • Official data show a deficit of over 100,000 nurses in Spain, with a national ratio of 6.36 per 1,000 inhabitants versus the European average of 8.19.
  • Navarra leads Spanish regions with 8.92 nurses per 1,000 inhabitants, while Murcia records the lowest coverage at 4.99 and Pontevedra falls to just 3.96.
  • Precarious contracts made up 77.7% of nursing agreements in 2024, driving more than 1,000 professionals to request relocation abroad so far in 2025.
  • Spanish nurses handle 10–15 patients each in conventional hospital units, compared with eight in Europe, raising concerns over care quality.
  • A British Medical Journal study links daily nurse shortages to an 8% higher patient mortality risk and a 69% increase in hospital stay durations.