Although COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are trending down in Oklahoma, health leaders say their nursing staff is walking out the door. "The nationwide nursing shortage is a problem at every hospital, and there are not enough students in the nursing programs to stop the bleeding," Dr. Woody Jenkins said.>> COVID-19 in Oklahoma: New cases, deaths, breakthrough cases, vaccination ratesJenkins said Tuesday during the Healthier Oklahoma meeting that the national problem of staffing shortages is happening in his city – Stillwater."Since the beginning of the year, 50 RNs have left Stillwater Medical Center. Our registered nurse turnover is greater than 20%," Jenkins said.With staffing shortages at Stillwater Medical Center, Jenkins said morale is low from exhaustion and unmatched workloads."Some nurses have left the hospital for more lucrative travel nursing physician, retirement or other jobs in nursing that are not at the bedside," he said. "Others are leaving the profession altogether – working in retail, food service, being nannies or going back to school for 'something else.'" >> Did you know? How to get the COVID-19 vaccine in OklahomaJenkins said his hospital has many openings, and the need is strong in rural areas.Meanwhile, Dr. David Kendrick said Oklahoma sees a continued downward trend of COVID-19 cases on the seven-day average."You can see that all age groups are trending down, which is a good sign," Kendrick said.