BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Laudio and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) today released their new Fall 2026 report, Innovations in Clinical Ladder Programs: Trends and Strategies, showing that nurses who advance through clinical ladder programs are significantly more likely to remain with their organization, especially early in their tenure.
The report analyzes StaffGarden frontline development platform data on 41,500 registered nurses and 70,500 digital clinical ladder applications, along with interviews of nurse executives and nursing professional development leaders from 11 U.S. health systems. The analysis from Laudio Insights provides a comprehensive review of how clinical ladder programs (CLPs) are functioning across health systems and how they need to evolve to meet the needs of today's nursing workforce.
Among the most significant findings, nurses awarded a clinical ladder level within their first year of employment had a 91% retention rate at the two-year mark, a statistically significant 10-percentage-point advantage compared to nurses who had not earned a level. The retention benefit is strongest in the year following ladder achievement, underscoring the value of ongoing participation and annual renewal.
Despite the demonstrated retention benefits, clinical ladder participation is lowest during nurses’ first 12 to 18 months of employment, when many programs restrict eligibility or nurses are occupied with residency and onboarding requirements. This disproportionately affects Gen Z nurses, approximately 26% of whom are currently within their first 12 months of tenure.
“The implications of the analysis are clear that when nurses are able to participate in work that benefits their department and organization, they are more likely to stay and continue to contribute,” said Tim Darling, co-founder and president of Laudio Insights. “This creates a positive flywheel for financial and quality outcomes. Clinical ladders give organizations a practical, evidence-based way to invest in nurses’ growth while advancing broader workforce priorities.”
Drawing on the national data and interviews with nurse leaders who have redesigned their programs, the report outlines six priorities for modernizing CLPs, broken out by executive and operational priorities. Executives are encouraged to prioritize aligning clinical ladders with organizational strategy, visibly championing and structurally supporting programs, and building the financial and ROI case for program investment. Operationally, organizations are encouraged to leverage technology to simplify participation, design programs around flexibility and peer community, and create accessible pathways into evidence-based practice and research. Across the interviews, CLP process complexity emerged as the most consistently cited barrier to participation, highlighting the importance of developing learning platforms that deliver a simplified user experience.
"That's the part leaders can actually fix, and technology is the lever that makes change possible," said Larissa Africa, MBA, RN, CENP, FAONL, FAAN, vice president of Healthcare Workforce Solutions at StaffGarden by Ascend Learning. "It should take that weight off the nurse: pre-verifying portfolios so gaps are flagged before a reviewer ever sees them, presenting activity options that align to a nurse's own interests and the organization's priorities, mapping a personalized career roadmap, and reaching nurses through the mobile-accessible channels they already use."
“To retain our nursing workforce, it’s incumbent upon nurse leaders to champion a visible path for nurses that supports long-term career growth within their organizations,” said Claire Zangerle, DNP, RN, Chief Executive Officer of AONL. “Clinical ladder programs do exactly that—they connect daily practice to long-term fulfillment by celebrating growth and contribution. As the workforce evolves, we have a unique opportunity to reshape these programs for the future.”
With the average cost of RN turnover estimated at approximately $60,000, the analysis suggests that even modest retention improvements can translate into meaningful cost avoidance, strengthening the business case for investing in clinical ladder programs. The complete report, Innovations in Clinical Ladder Programs: Trends and Strategies, is available here.
About Laudio
Laudio, an Ascend Learning brand, empowers healthcare leaders to drive large-scale change through everyday human actions. Laudio’s AI-enhanced platform streamlines workflows for frontline leaders, strengthens interpersonal connections, and aligns C-suite objectives with frontline efforts, boosting operational efficiency, employee engagement, and patient experience. Laudio, and its research and thought leadership group Laudio Insights, makes it possible for patients, frontline workers, and health system leaders to thrive together. Discover how at www.laudio.com.
About StaffGarden
StaffGarden is a digital clinical ecosystem dedicated to empowering healthcare systems, uplifting clinical professionals, and improving patient care with clinical data management tools to track, manage, and enhance clinical excellence at scale. Learn more at www.staffgarden.com.
About Ascend Learning
Ascend Learning is a leading healthcare and learning technology company. With products that span the learning continuum, Ascend focuses on high-growth careers in a range of industries, with a special focus on healthcare and other licensure-driven occupations. Ascend Learning products, from testing to certification, are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers. Learn more at www.ascendlearning.com.
About the American Organization for Nursing Leadership
As the national professional organization of more than 12,500 nurse leaders, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership is the voice of nursing leadership. Our membership encompasses nurse leaders working in hospitals, health systems, academia and other care settings across the care continuum. Since 1967, the organization has led the field of nursing leadership through professional development, advocacy and research that advances nursing leadership practice and patient care. AONL is a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. For more information, visit AONL.org.
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