Italy faces nursing exodus as Bologna hospitals report hundreds of resignations

Public hospitals in the Bologna area are confronting a sharp decline in nursing staff. The Sant’Orsola University Hospital recorded 240 voluntary departures in 2025, while the local health authority (AUSL) in Bologna reported between 250 and 300 exits over the past year, with similar reductions at the Imola health district. Union data show that applications for nursing exams have fallen dramatically, from more than 14,000 candidates in 2016 to just 740 in 2025, and the number of successful candidates has dropped to about 450. Projections indicate roughly 665 nurse retirements in Bologna and Imola by 2030, exacerbating shortages of experienced personnel.

Union Nursind and UGL health secretary Gianluca Giuliano are urging the Italian government to recognise nurses – and other health professionals – as “usuranti” (physically demanding jobs), following Greece’s recent legislation. They argue that the combination of mass resignations, low recruitment, and inadequate policy support threatens the quality of care in the national health service.