Union warning: help stop our nurses quitting
Retirement, poor health and burnout are being blamed for the rising number of nurses quitting in Scotland
More work is needed to stem the flow of nurses from the profession, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
The latest figures show a 2% net increase in nurses registered in Scotland, but the RCN said there is an upward trend in those leaving.
There has also been an increase in internationally-educated nurses and midwives joining the register.
A survey found retirement, poor health, burnout, and a change in personal circumstances were the top four reasons cited for leaving.
The union said the rise in those leaving nursing puts patient safety at risk.
RCN Scotland director Colin Poolman said: "The pool of nurses available to work in Scotland is increasing, according to the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) data, but the Scottish Government must do much more to stem the flow of nurses out of the profession.
"We can't continue to lose experienced nurses sooner than they had originally planned to leave. The increase in those leaving within 10 years of becoming a registered nurse is deeply worrying.
"We urgently need to see a retention strategy. Without it, the Scottish Government won't be able to fill the stubbornly persistent gaps we have now in the nursing workforce, never mind attract those from the wider pool of nurses shown in the NMC data or to fill each new year's training places.
"Internationally-recruited nurses are invaluable to our health and care services, but their numbers are small in the context of our workforce crisis and the process of recruitment and induction is not speedy.
"Those who do want to come to nurse in Scotland must be properly supported through the specific challenges associated with coming to work in a new country, and not attracted to Scotland simply to fill gaps."
Scottish Conservative deputy health spokeswoman Tess White said: "Seventeen years of SNP mismanagement has brought our NHS to its knees and led to an exodus of nurses from its workforce.
"The SNP's dire workforce planning and (former health secretary) Humza Yousaf's flimsy recovery plan has left nurses burnt-out and feeling they have no other option than to abandon the profession they love - with 2,700 leaving the register in the last year alone.
"Without a proper retention strategy, the SNP Government will never be able to fill the huge gaps in the nursing workforce and stop highly skilled and experienced staff leaving."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We greatly value the vital contribution of our nurses and midwives to Scotland's NHS.
"The Scottish Government continues to provide the highest student bursaries for nursing and midwifery degrees in the UK, with eligible students receiving £10,000 each year of their degree programme.
"Work is already under way with the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives and other key partners who sit on the nursing and midwifery taskforce to support a sustainable and skilled workforce.
"This will help us to identify gaps to futureproof our workforce in light of the demands our services face."