Almost a third of nurses surveyed in January said they won't be working in their current jobs a year from now, according to a report from AMN Healthcare Services Inc. (NYSE: AHS). And half said they plan to get out of nursing entirely or cut their contribution to direct patient care by working fewer hours or choosing a less demanding role.

"Our survey clearly indicates significant job dissatisfaction and that is concerning in terms of quality healthcare delivery," Ralph Henderson, president of AMN's nursing and allied division, said in a statement. "Nurses are at the core of quality care in our nation's delivery system and if we see large numbers of nurses leaving the profession it could negatively impact patient care outcomes."

Fifty-nine percent of nurses would choose nursing as a career if they had to do it all over, according to the survey. Only 64% would recommend nursing as a career to young people.

The survey also found that 6% of nurses permanently employed at hospitals plan to retire in the next one to three years -- cutting the workforce by 70,000.

The survey included data from 1,399 respondents.