OIG Report of Veterans Health Administration’s Responses on Severe Occupational Staffing Shortages Fiscal Year 2026

The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act (VACAA) of 2014 and VA Choice and Quality Employment Act (VCQEA) of 2017 requires the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) to determine, annually, a minimum of five clinical and five nonclinical Veterans Health Administration (VHA) occupations with the largest staffing shortages within each VHA medical center (facility). Pursuant to this requirement, the OIG collected facility level perceptions of severe staffing shortages through a questionnaire sent to VHA officials. The information provided represents VHA officials’ input at a single point in time, and the OIG did not validate the accuracy of the responses.

Key findings from this year’s report include:

• In fiscal year (FY) 2026, which runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, VHA officials reported a total of 4,712 severe occupational staffing shortages.
• VHA officials reported that 97 percent of facilities had severe occupational staffing shortages for Medical Officer occupations, and 86 percent of facilities had severe shortages for Nurse occupations.
• Practical Nurse was the most frequently reported clinical severe occupational staffing shortage in FY 2026, the most frequently reported Hybrid Title 38 occupation, and the most frequently reported severe shortage occupation overall, with VHA officials reporting for 59 percent of facilities.
• Police was reported as a shortage by VHA officials for 57 percent of facilities, making it the most frequently reported nonclinical shortage occupation.
• All 139 VHA facilities identified staffing shortages.

The OIG made no recommendations based on this report.