Anna Hartz
Violence in Hospitals Is Driving Nurses Out
Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing. But for many workers, they’re becoming dangerous.
A new report shows that nearly two out of five healthcare workers in the U.S. have thought about quitting their jobs because they feel unsafe.
Almost half say they are likely to leave within the next year, according to FMLink.
50% Are Ready to Quit
This comes at a time when the healthcare system is already under pressure. Since 2022, 138,000 nurses have left the workforce.
Now, more may follow. Nurses are especially fed up. Fifty percent said they are likely to quit soon. For doctors, it’s 39%.
The study comes from Verkada, a security tech company, and was conducted with The Harris Poll. They asked workers across hospitals and clinics what they were facing on the job.
The numbers are troubling. About 3 million healthcare workers start each shift expecting conflict.
One in five worry about being verbally harassed by patients almost every time they work. Nearly 80% have either seen or experienced aggression from patients.
Some groups are hit harder than others. Women face more violence across the board.
Nurses are more than twice as likely to be physically attacked than doctors. Young workers also report higher rates. Gen Z healthcare staff said they are assaulted three times more than Boomers.
Workers Will Continue to Leave
Despite these problems, many hospitals are not doing much to fix it. Forty-one percent of workers said their workplace has weak security.
Seventy-seven percent said nothing has changed in the last year. Something as basic as checking visitor IDs only happens in four out of ten hospitals.
Healthcare staff say better security could help. Eighty-two percent want their employers to take stronger action.
Many say they would feel safer if there were on-site security guards. Others want weapons screening and panic buttons.
This is not just about safety. Violence is costing the healthcare system billions each year.
And if more workers leave, it could get worse. If hospitals want to keep their staff, they need to start protecting them.
