Workplace violence in healthcare has become an urgent issue, affecting frontline workers across hospitals, clinics, and home healthcare settings.
Despite their critical role in patient care, healthcare workers experience workplace violence at a significantly higher rate than employees in other industries. This growing crisis demands immediate action, requiring comprehensive safety strategies, enhanced security measures, and the integration of advanced technology solutions.
This blog explores the rising threats facing healthcare workers, the financial and operational impact of workplace violence, and the steps organizations must take to protect their workforce.
From hospitals to home care settings, violence has become an alarming reality, threatening both staff safety and patient care.
Healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries, accounting for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence. A study published in PLOS ONE found that incidents are often driven by staffing shortages, patient aggression, and lack of security, leaving frontline workers particularly vulnerable.
As the demand for home healthcare rises, so do the risks. The U.S. home healthcare services market is expected to grow from $100.95 billion in 2024 to $176.30 billion by 2032, meaning more workers will be exposed to uncontrolled home environments where security is unpredictable. Healthcare has now become one of the most dangerous U.S. careers heading into 2025, with rising incidents of workplace violence affecting both hospital and home-based healthcare workers.
Among those on the front lines, emergency physicians report that 47% have been physically assaulted at work, while 70% of nurses have experienced verbal or physical abuse, highlighting the severity of the crisis. Compounding the issue, the rate of workplace deaths is rising, with healthcare professionals increasingly impacted by violence-related fatalities.
With workplace violence escalating across healthcare settings, organizations must take proactive steps to enhance security, train staff, and implement stronger protections to keep workers safe. The statistics are clear, the time to act is now.
Healthcare workers face five times the risk of workplace violence-related injuries compared to employees in other sectors. Several key factors contribute to this heightened vulnerability.
Frequent patient interactions play a major role. Nurses and doctors regularly interact with individuals in pain, distress, or altered mental states, while family members under stress may also react aggressively. Hospitals are highly accessible public spaces that see millions of visitors each year. In 2023 alone, 34.4 million people were admitted to U.S. hospitals, yet only one in three hospitals has metal detectors, leaving many facilities with limited security enforcement.
Hospitals are also high-pressure environments plagued by staffing shortages and overcrowded ERs. 75% of nurses identify chronic understaffing as the leading risk factor for an unsafe workplace. According to the Minnesota Nurses Association, 65% of nurses report that hospital executives have failed to provide adequate training or resources to address workplace violence.
Beyond hospitals, home healthcare workers face unique risks as they work alone in unpredictable environments. They work in other people’s homes with no security and often without any monitoring.
With the home healthcare sector projected to grow 34% between 2019 and 2029, more workers will be placed in isolated and potentially dangerous situations. Many home healthcare professionals, most of whom are women, are not always entitled to minimum wage or overtime pay, making them less likely to report workplace violence. While reporting gaps make exact figures unclear, studies estimate that 18% to 65% of healthcare workers experience violence on the job.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) describes four types of workplace violence. We have also included a fifth type that is currently being discussed.
Workplace violence in healthcare is not just a safety crisis, it is a significant financial burden.
Workplace violence in healthcare presents significant financial challenges. In 2018, healthcare workers accounted for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence.
This problem increases workers’ compensation claims, medical expenses, and lost wages. High turnover rates further escalate costs as organizations face expenses related to recruiting and training new staff. According to The Oracle, the average cost of turnover for a regular position is between six and nine months of an employee’s salary. Replacing a highly specialized healthcare professional can cost as much as 200% of the employee’s yearly salary.
Legal costs and potential lawsuits add another layer of financial risk, and non-compliance with safety regulations exposes facilities to fines and reputational damage.
Beyond direct costs, workplace violence disrupts productivity, impacts patient care, and erodes trust, making it clear that investing in proactive safety measures is not just the right thing to do, it’s a financial imperative.
Understand the ROI of healthcare organizations' safety measures.
While OSHA does not have a specific standard for workplace violence in healthcare, the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 requires employers to maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards, including workplace violence.
Failure to address workplace violence can result in OSHA citations and penalties, including fines of up to $15,625 per violation. To stay compliant:
Discover how to create a workplace violence prevention plan here.
Preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of both staff and patients. Here are key strategies employers can implement:
Develop a clear, written policy that articulates a zero-tolerance stance toward workplace violence. This policy should detail procedures for reporting, responding to, and investigating incidents. Regular training sessions are essential to ensure all staff members are familiar with and adhere to these protocols.
Identify areas that may be prone to higher risks, such as client homes, hospital waiting rooms, or patient transport zones. Evaluate existing safety measures to identify and address any gaps. Engaging frontline staff in these assessments can provide valuable insights into real-world challenges and potential solutions.
Use our risk assessment template to identify where to improve.
Mandate training that covers de-escalation techniques, conflict resolution, and recognizing early warning signs of potential violence. Incorporate role-playing exercises to prepare staff for real-life scenarios. Offer ongoing refresher courses to keep safety practices at the forefront of employees' minds.
Install security features such as cameras, controlled access points, and panic buttons in vulnerable areas. Ensure that the facility's parking lots, hallways, and isolated sections are well-lit. Deploy security personnel in departments identified as high-risk to provide immediate support when necessary. If you can’t have security personnel in all isolated facilities, consider providing staff with a safety solution. Aware360 provides employees with a companion mode, so someone is on the phone with them until they feel safe, panic buttons, fall detection, timed sessions, and customized action plans.
Implementing these strategies can help healthcare organizations create a safer environment for their employees.
Effectively reporting workplace violence in healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of both staff and patients. Here's how to approach this critical issue:
Healthcare organizations should establish clear protocols for reporting incidents of workplace violence. Internally, staff should be encouraged to report all incidents, from verbal threats to physical assaults, through designated channels, such as incident report forms or digital reporting systems.
A designated team should promptly review these reports to assess the situation and implement necessary interventions. When incidents involve criminal behavior or pose immediate threats, contacting law enforcement is imperative to ensure safety and legal compliance. Clear guidelines should be in place to help staff determine when to escalate reports to external authorities.
Thorough documentation of all workplace violence incidents is essential for identifying patterns and preventing future occurrences. Detailed records enable organizations to analyze data, recognize trends, and implement targeted interventions. This proactive approach enhances workplace safety and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.
Organizations must implement policies that protect staff from retaliation to foster a culture where employees feel safe reporting incidents. It's also important to address barriers to reporting, such as beliefs that violence is an expected part of the job or fears of negative consequences. Healthcare facilities can better address workplace violence and enhance overall safety by creating an environment where reporting is encouraged and supported.
Implementing these strategies can help healthcare organizations create a safer environment for staff and ensure that workplace violence is effectively managed and prevented.
In healthcare, unpredictable situations and high-risk environments constantly put workers at risk. Technology plays a critical role in preventing workplace violence and ensuring rapid emergency response. By leveraging real-time monitoring, personal safety devices, and connected worker solutions, healthcare organizations can take a proactive approach to worker protection and ensure that no employee is left without support when it matters most.
Real-time monitoring and emergency response technology can detect incidents as they happen and trigger immediate action, significantly reducing response times. Aware360’s connected worker solutions offer discreet, real-time safety tools designed for healthcare professionals in high-risk roles.
Personal safety devices and wearables are transforming lone worker protection in healthcare. Safety devices, including discreet panic buttons, GPS-enabled wearables, and silent alert systems allow staff to call for help instantly without escalating a situation. Whether working alone in home healthcare or handling volatile situations in hospitals, these tools provide a direct line to security teams for immediate assistance.
Real-time location monitoring ensures that security teams and emergency responders can locate at-risk employees instantly. Whether an ER nurse is facing a violent patient or a home healthcare provider is in distress, precise location data helps responders arrive quickly and intervene effectively.
Safety apps and instant communication tools further enhance workplace safety by connecting healthcare staff with security teams in real-time. Mobile safety apps allow workers to check in, send emergency alerts, or activate automated monitoring when entering high-risk areas. Integrated two-way communication ensures that security teams can assess risks, escalate response measures, and de-escalate threats when possible.
By integrating the appropriate technology, healthcare organizations can prevent workplace violence, safeguard their workforce, and decrease safety incidents. Proactive safety solutions, such as AlertGPS, Aware360’s connected worker technology, equip healthcare professionals with the necessary tools to remain safe no matter where they are.
Workplace violence in healthcare is a widespread issue that requires a proactive, technology-driven approach to prevention. Healthcare organizations can take critical steps to protect their workers and create safer environments by implementing real-time monitoring, emergency response technology, and comprehensive safety programs.
One real-world example of technology-driven safety measures comes from Covenant Health, a non-profit home healthcare and hospice organization. They needed to improve security and available assistance for their employees working in patients’ homes. Working with Aware360, they improved communication, worker safety, and organizational awareness during emergencies.
Read the full case study.
With the right tools, training, and commitment, healthcare organizations can reduce workplace violence, enhance staff well-being, and foster a safety culture that benefits employees and patients.
Healthcare organizations can prevent workplace violence by implementing clear safety policies, staff training on de-escalation, risk assessments, physical security measures, and real-time emergency response systems. Encouraging incident reporting and fostering a culture of safety are also critical.
Workplace violence in healthcare includes verbal threats, physical assaults, harassment, and intimidation directed at healthcare workers by patients, visitors, or even colleagues. It can occur in hospitals, clinics, home healthcare settings, and long-term care facilities.
Healthcare workers account for 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence, making it one of the most at-risk industries for workplace violence.
Emergency room staff, psychiatric healthcare workers, home healthcare providers, and nurses face the highest risk due to frequent patient interactions, high-stress environments, and exposure to unpredictable behavior.
Workplace violence in healthcare threatens staff safety, increases stress and burnout, reduces retention, and impacts patient care. It also leads to higher costs from medical claims, legal fees, and lost productivity while damaging workplace morale.
Examples include patients physically assaulting nurses, verbal abuse from visitors, threats against emergency room staff, and home healthcare workers facing attacks in unsafe environments. Incidents can range from minor altercations to life-threatening situations.