Massive New U.S. Hospital Projects Signal Strong Demand for International Nurses in 2025 and Beyond

The U.S. healthcare landscape is in the middle of a historic building boom and that’s big news for international nurses looking to work in America.

So far in 2025, at least 15 health systems have announced or advanced hospital projects valued at $1 billion or more, according to Becker’s. Many of these projects include new hospital towers, expanded emergency departments, children’s hospitals and specialized cancer centers.

For internationally educated nurses, these projects translate into:

• Thousands of new inpatient beds
• Expanded ICU, ED, OR, maternity and pediatric services
• More demand for RN, BSN, MSN and specialty nurses across the U.S.
• An urgent need for international nurse recruitment to fill workforce gaps

At NurseContact, a digital marketplace connecting international nurses with U.S. employers through a streamlined hiring process, we are tracking these expansions closely to help nurses and health systems plan for the future.

Below is an overview of the largest hospital projects and what they may mean for global nursing talent.

1. UPMC’s $1.3 Billion Kamin Tower – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Project highlight:

• 900,000-square-foot inpatient tower
• 636 private patient rooms
• Construction completion: October 2026
• First patients expected: January 24, 2027

What it means for nurses:
UPMC’s Daniel G. and Carole L. Kamin Tower will significantly increase bed capacity at one of the nation’s largest academic health systems. This kind of expansion typically drives hiring across:

• Med-surg and telemetry
• Critical care
• Surgical and perioperative services
• Care coordination and discharge planning

International nurses with acute care experience will likely find growing opportunities here as the opening date approaches.

2. SUNY Downstate’s $1.1 Billion Hospital Investment – New York City

Project highlight:

• Major infrastructure repairs
• Expanded emergency department
• New annex with ambulatory surgery center
• Design phase now beginning

What it means for nurses:
Located in Brooklyn, SUNY Downstate serves a diverse urban community. The planned upgrades and ED expansion can drive demand for:

• Emergency department nurses
• OR and ambulatory surgery nurses
• Float pool and step-down unit staff

For international nurses seeking to build a career in New York City, this project is a key development to watch.

3. Sutter Health’s New Medical Center – Santa Clara, California

Project highlight (part of a $2.8B Silicon Valley investment):

• New hospital in Santa Clara
• 272 licensed beds, all in private patient rooms
• Full-service ED, ICU, L&D suites
• Rooftop helipad

What it means for nurses:
Silicon Valley’s growing population is fueling demand for modern healthcare facilities and skilled staff. This medical center will need:

• ICU and ED nurses
• Labor and delivery and postpartum nurses
• OR, PACU and procedural nurses

California remains one of the most competitive nursing markets in the U.S. but also one of the most rewarding in terms of salary and benefits.

4. Intermountain Health’s $1 Billion Children’s Hospital – Nevada

Project highlight:

• Nevada’s first freestanding children’s hospital
• 150 beds
• Emergency department and outpatient clinics
• Fundraising campaign launched October

What it means for nurses:
Pediatric specialty facilities require:

• Pediatric med-surg and PICU nurses
• Pediatric ED nurses
• Outpatient pediatric and specialty clinic RNs

For international nurses with pediatric training, this project will create a concentration of roles in a state that has long needed more children’s services.

5. Good Samaritan Hospital $1.3 Billion Expansion – San Jose, California

Project highlight:

• New parking structure
• 469,920-square-foot patient tower
• New central utility plant
• Completion expected in 2032

Owned by HCA Healthcare, this San Jose campus expansion positions the hospital to serve a growing Bay Area population.

Nursing impact:
As new beds open over time, demand will increase for:

• Acute care nurses across multiple specialties
• Cardiac, surgical and oncology nurses
• Nurse leaders and charge nurses

6. Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center at Acworth – $1.1 Billion, Georgia

Project highlight:

• New 230-bed hospital
• 675,000-square-foot facility
• 70 ED bays
• 8 operating rooms
• Expected opening: 2031

What it means for nurses:
Suburban Atlanta continues to see rapid population growth. This new hospital will likely recruit:

• ED nurses for a high-volume emergency department
• OR and perioperative nurses
• Med-surg and step-down nurses

International nurses seeking East Coast opportunities may find this project attractive as timelines get closer.

7. Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center – Nearly $2 Billion University Hospital Tower

Project highlight (Columbus, Ohio):

• 1.9 million-square-foot inpatient tower
• 26 floors
• 820 private rooms
• 234 ICU beds
• 51 NICU beds
• Top three floors dedicated to maternity
• Opening expected: early 2026

Nursing impact:
This is one of the largest single-tower hospital projects in the U.S. and will require:

• Large teams of critical care nurses
• NICU, L&D and high-risk obstetric nurses
• Academic medical center–experienced RNs interested in teaching and research environments

International nurses with previous tertiary or teaching hospital experience will be especially competitive.

8. North Carolina Children’s Health Campus – $2–$3 Billion Project

Project highlight:

• 500-bed pediatric hospital
• Children’s outpatient care center
• Collaboration between UNC Health (Chapel Hill) and Duke Health (Durham)
• Construction anticipated to begin in 2027

What it means for nurses:
Two leading academic systems are joining forces on a major children’s health campus. This will eventually support:

• Specialized pediatric nursing roles
• Pediatric oncology, cardiology and surgical nursing
• Research and advanced practice opportunities

For nurses aiming to work in pediatric centers of excellence, this project is one to monitor long term.

9. $1.68 Billion Cancer Hospital Joint Venture – Boston, Massachusetts

Project highlight:

• Partners: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians
• 300-bed cancer hospital
• Construction slated to begin: 2026
• Expected opening: 2031

Nursing impact:
Boston is a global oncology hub, and this specialized hospital will generate demand for:

• Oncology and hematology nurses
• BMT/infusion and chemo-certified RNs
• Clinical trials and research nurses

International nurses with oncology experience will find this a potentially career-defining destination.

10. Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s $1.2 Billion Hospital – North Charleston, South Carolina

Project highlight:

• 27-acre campus
• Replaces existing downtown Charleston hospital
• Completion planned for 2029

What it means for nurses:
Replacing an older hospital with a modern facility often expands capabilities and services. This likely means:

• Increased roles in med-surg, ED and ICU
• Opportunities for nurse educators supporting transition to the new facility
• Growth in specialty areas as services expand

11. AdventHealth Orlando Transformation – $1+ Billion, Florida

Project highlight:

• New patient and surgical tower at AdventHealth Orlando
• Opening planned for 203
• Expanded residency and fellowship programs

Nursing impact:
As a flagship campus, AdventHealth Orlando will continue to be a major employer of nurses in central Florida. The expansion supports:

• Perioperative and surgical nursing growth
• Advanced practice roles
• Increased teaching and preceptor opportunities for experienced RNs

12. Harris Health’s $2 Billion Northeast Houston Hospital – Texas

Project highlight:

• Opening planned: Q1 2029
• 330 beds plus 60 shelled rooms (total capacity: 390)
• Level I trauma capable on day one
• All private rooms
• Replaces Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital

Construction is already well underway, with foundational work completed and early vertical construction in progress.

Nursing impact:
A Level I trauma-capable safety-net hospital will require:

• ED and trauma nurses
• ICU and step-down nurses
• Med-surg, telemetry and surgical nurses
• Nurses experienced in high-acuity urban settings

For international nurses interested in trauma and critical care, this is a significant upcoming opportunity.

13. Kaiser Permanente’s $1 Billion Sacramento Hospital Campus – California

Project highlight:

• Groundbreaking: March 19
• 310-bed hospital
• 14 operating rooms
• 70-bay emergency department
• Adjacent 173,000-square-foot medical office building with 66 exam rooms
• Expected opening: 2029

Nursing impact:
Kaiser’s integrated model means nurses often work closely with multi-disciplinary care teams and emphasize preventive care. This campus will need:

• ED and inpatient nurses
• OR, PACU and procedural RNs
• Clinic and ambulatory care nurses

14. Scripps Health’s $1.2 Billion Hospital and Outpatient Campus – San Marcos, California

Project highlight:

• Initial phase: comprehensive ambulatory facility
• Second phase: acute care hospital with 200–250 beds
• Land for the site was acquired 35 years ago

What it means for nurses:
North San Diego County continues to grow, and Scripps is preparing to meet that demand with new facilities. Expect:

• Outpatient and procedural nursing roles in phase one
• Inpatient med-surg, telemetry and ICU roles in phase two
• Long-term growth in specialty services

15. NewYork-Presbyterian’s $1.2 Billion Cancer & Multispecialty Center – New York City

Project highlight:

• Planned at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus in Washington Heights
• Designed to consolidate oncology services
• Focus on access, integrated care and streamlined coordination

Nursing impact:
This center will further strengthen NewYork-Presbyterian’s role as a major destination for complex care. It will likely recruit:

• Oncology nurses in both inpatient and outpatient settings
• Nurse navigators and care coordinators
• Infusion and procedural RNs

What This Building Boom Means for International Nurses

The scale of these projects shows a clear trend:
The U.S. healthcare system is investing heavily in infrastructure, technology and bed capacity, even as it faces ongoing nursing shortages.

This environment creates significant opportunities for international nurses who want to:

• Work in state-of-the-art hospitals and academic medical centers
• Specialize in high-demand areas such as ICU, ED, OR, L&D, pediatrics and oncology
• Build long-term nursing careers in the U.S.

However, connecting global talent with the right U.S. employer can be complex involving immigration, licensing, credentialing and contract details.

How NurseContact Helps International Nurses Enter the U.S. Job Market

NurseContact is a digital marketplace designed specifically to bridge this gap. We:

• Match internationally educated nurses with U.S. hospitals, health systems and long-term care employers
• Support a streamlined hiring process, reducing delays and uncertainty
• Help employers plan staffing around large-scale projects like the $1B+ hospitals listed above
• Provide a platform where nurses can explore opportunities that align with their specialty, location preferences and long-term career goals

As health systems bring these mega-projects online between 2026 and 2032, the need for a reliable pipeline of international nurse recruitment will only grow.

Position Yourself Now for Future U.S. Hospital Openings

If you’re an international nurse considering a move to the United States, now is the time to:

• Understand which regions are expanding fastest
• Identify your preferred specialties (ICU, ED, perioperative, pediatrics, oncology, maternity, etc.)
• Prepare your credentials, language requirements and documentation

NurseContact connects you directly with U.S. employers who are planning for the next wave of hospital openings and expansions.

As billions of dollars flow into new hospitals and towers, *international nurses will play a key role in staffing these modern facilities and caring for patients across America.