There's a significant increase among nurses who say they will retire in less than a year, according to the 2017 Survey of Registered Nurses released today by AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (NYSE: AHS). The survey found 27% of nurses who are planning to retire intend to do so in less than a year. That’s higher than a similar survey in 2015 that found only 16% planned to do so.

“The significant increase in the percentages of nurses who plan to retire in a year or less suggests that the wave of retirements among baby boomer nurses, which has been widely predicted, is in fact already underway,” according to the report.

It also found 73% of baby boomer nurses who are planning to retire say they will do so in three years or less.

The survey included 3,347 nurses, 42% of whom were baby boomers.

The impression among nurses of all ages was that the nursing shortages was getting worse. This year’s survey found 48% of nurses felt the nursing shortage is worse today than five years ago. That compared to only 37% who said the same thing in a similar survey in 2015.

“The survey strongly supports the prevalent belief within the healthcare industry that the nursing shortage is getting worse,” according to the report. “To improve flexibility and professional development in this highly energized employment market, a significant majority of nurses support the evolution of national nurse licensure to augment the state-by-state process.”

Concerns over nurse shortages is just one of the findings in the report with measured other areas including plans to pursue advanced degrees and job satisfaction.

The full report is available online.