Healthcare workers are invaluable to the well-being of communities across the country. Nurses, doctors, surgeons, paramedics, and other frontline care providers form the backbone of the healthcare system. While their contributions save lives daily, violence against healthcare workers has reached crisis levels, compromising both staff welfare and the quality of patient care. Workplace violence prevention has become an urgent priority for hospitals and health systems nationwide.
The scope of the problem demands attention. The American Hospital Association reports that workplace and community violence cost hospitals $18.27 billion in 2023 alone. Healthcare workers make up 13 percent of the workforce but experience 60 percent of all workplace assaults. Research shows that 83 percent of nurses experienced workplace violence last year, and 81 percent of healthcare workers report burnout. Six in ten nurses either changed jobs or considered leaving the profession due to violence.
Hospitals and clinics bear responsibility for creating safe environments for healthcare professionals and patients alike. Meeting this responsibility requires a proactive workplace violence prevention strategy that combines training, organizational culture, and technology to reduce response times when incidents occur.
De-escalation: A Healthcare Worker’s Best Ally
Spotting warning signs of aggression and using de-escalation techniques represents one of the most effective components of workplace violence prevention. De-escalation combines situational awareness with verbal and nonverbal communication to defuse anger and ease tense situations before they escalate.
Research demonstrates the effectiveness of these approaches. The Joint Commission has documented that implementing effective de-escalation techniques leads to positive outcomes, including preventing violent behavior, avoiding restraints, and helping patients develop a sense of hope and security.
CENTEGIX CrisisAlertโข promotes successful de-escalation by allowing healthcare professionals to discreetly notify responders of an emergency via a wearable badge. This technology boosts user confidence and reduces response times when support is needed.
The Benefits of De-escalation Training
Hospitals are high-stress environments where patients with unpredictable conditions, emotional family members, and countless other scenarios can lead to agitation or violence. Healthcare professionals must remain calm when faced with these challenges, but maintaining composure under pressure requires preparation.
Confidence plays a vital role in de-escalation. Training staff to recognize potential threats and react appropriately instills the assurance needed to stay level-headed when a patient or visitor exhibits threatening behavior. A 2023 pilot study published in the Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives found that de-escalation training increased hospitalists’ confidence in managing aggressive patients by 59 percent, with mean confidence scores rising from 43.2 before training to 68.5 immediately after.
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center demonstrates the benefits of de-escalation training in practice. As part of its workplace violence prevention initiative, PPMC has offered in-person classes that teach conflict prevention strategies, including identifying verbal and nonverbal signs of threatening behavior. “We recently surveyed PPMC employees about workplace violence, and 54 percent of those who attended de-escalation training in 2023 either agreed or strongly agreed that the training made them feel more equipped to safely de-escalate a situation,” said Lisa Triantos, Co-Chair of the PPMC Workplace Violence Prevention Committee.
Top 7 Tips for De-escalation in Healthcare
The Crisis Prevention Institute recommends the following de-escalation tips for healthcare professionals dealing with aggressive behavior:
- Be empathic and non-judgmental when a patient does or says something irrational.
- Respect a patient’s personal space if they act irrationally or in a threatening manner.
- Use calm, nonverbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions.
- Set limits when a patient becomes disruptive or agitated.
- Focus on feelings by letting a patient know their experience is understood.
- Allow silence so the patient can reflect on their behavior.
- Use active listening to validate concerns and redirect toward resolution.
Employing these techniques and promoting further training contributes to a culture of safety that prioritizes patient and staff well-being across the organization.
The Connection Between Nurse Safety and Patient Safety
An unsafe working environment impacts the mental health and well-being of nurses and other healthcare professionals. Threats of violence, assault, and verbal abuse can lead to burnout, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These adverse outcomes create a trickle-down effect, compromising patient safety and reducing the quality of care.
Nurses are more likely to make errors or alter their approach to care when they experience ongoing fatigue, stress, or fear due to workplace violence. A nurse who is exhausted and burned out may accidentally administer the wrong medication or overlook a patient’s symptoms.
Research linking nurse safety to patient outcomes is extensive. A 2024 meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open examined 85 studies involving 288,581 nurses from 32 countries and found that nurse burnout, often triggered or exacerbated by workplace violence, was associated with increased medication errors, a higher incidence of patient falls, more adverse events, and lower patient satisfaction ratings.
Data from Press Ganey’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators reveals the acceleration of this crisis. A 2025 study published in Nurse Leader found that assault incidents against nursing personnel rose from 14,434 in 2019 to 23,767 in 2023, with registered nurses bearing the brunt of incidents and psychiatric and emergency units facing the highest risk. The workforce impact creates compounding costs. Data shows that 19 percent of nurses left their roles due to safety concerns, while 37 percent considered leaving the profession. With turnover rates hovering around 20 percent in healthcare settings, this results in annual losses of $3.9 million to $5.8 million per hospital. Every one percent reduction in RN turnover can save the average hospital approximately $262,500 per year, meaning safety initiatives have the potential to fund themselves through retention improvements alone.
How to Create a Culture of Safety in Healthcare
Hospitals and clinics must invest time and resources in creating and maintaining a culture of safety in healthcare for patients and staff alike. The American Hospital Association launched its Hospitals Against Violence (HAVhope) initiative in 2016, creating a platform to support members combating workplace and community violence.
In 2021, the HAV Advisory Group developed the Building a Safe Workplace and Community Framework, establishing four essential domains: Risk Mitigation involves regularly assessing vulnerabilities and managing violence concerns before they escalate. Trauma Support builds workforce resilience following violent incidents. The Culture of Safety domain positions violence mitigation within an organization’s overall safety strategy, with leaders prioritizing physical and psychological safety while encouraging incident reporting without retaliation. Violence Intervention extends hospitals’ reach through community collaboration with social services and behavioral health organizations.
Creating a culture of safety in healthcare also requires promoting the well-being of nurses, physicians, and medical staff. The American Nurses Association outlines key safety strategies, including creating effective communication protocols, staying current on new procedures and equipment, adhering to regulatory safety guidelines, initiating workplace safety response teams, managing staff burnout, and implementing evidence-based safety protocols.
The Business Case for Workplace Violence Prevention
The financial burden of workplace violence extends far beyond immediate injuries. The AHA’s comprehensive cost analysis breaks the $18.27 billion annual toll into two categories, revealing the true scope of prevention opportunities.
Pre-event costs total $3.62 billion annually, representing investments hospitals make before violence occurs. This includes training, technology investments in surveillance and alarm systems, security personnel, and facility modifications.
Post-event costs consume $14.65 billion annually, more than four times the investment in prevention. Healthcare treatment for violence-related injuries dominates at $13.1 billion. Staffing-related consequences add $541 million in increased turnover, productivity loss, and absenteeism from emotional trauma. The AHA explicitly notes this estimate is conservative, excluding psychological harm, recruitment challenges, reduced job satisfaction, and unreported injuries.
The four-to-one ratio between post-event and pre-event costs demonstrates the financial wisdom of prevention investments. Organizations that allocate resources toward training, technology, and culture-building reduce exposure to the far greater costs that follow violent incidents.
Regulatory Requirements and Legislation
Federal and state governments have recognized workplace violence in healthcare as a crisis requiring legislative action. The Joint Commission implemented workplace violence prevention standards effective January 2022 for hospitals and critical access hospitals. These standards require organizations to designate leadership for violence prevention programs, develop policies through multidisciplinary teams, establish incident-reporting and analysis processes, and deliver annual staff training on prevention, recognition, and de-escalation techniques.
State legislatures have moved aggressively on prevention mandates. Illinois SB 1435, effective July 1, 2025, requires every hospital employee to have a panic button attached to their staff identification card that alerts on-site security or local law enforcement during emergencies. The law mandates regular testing and comprehensive training on panic button systems. California and Texas have enacted similar legislation requiring employers to implement written workplace violence prevention plans and establish safety committees.
At the federal level, the Save Healthcare Workers Act has been introduced in the 119th Congress. The legislation would make assaulting hospital personnel a federal crime and authorize up to $25 million in protective technology and training grants over 10 years.
The Role of Safety Technology in Workplace Violence Prevention
Innovations in safety technology help healthcare facilities reduce response times when staff are confronted with threats or acts of violence. These tools play a crucial role in workplace safety, especially when combined with training to create a layered safety plan.
Data from CENTEGIX CrisisAlert activations in healthcare facilities in 2025 reveals patterns that inform prevention strategies. Alert volume increased by more than 400 percent between 8:30 AM and 12:15 PM, with peaks at 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 5:00 PM. The data shows that 44 percent of alerts stemmed from aggressive or threatening behavior. Location analysis found that hallways accounted for 44 percent of alerts, patient and exam rooms 22 percent, and nurse stations 15 percent.
These insights enable healthcare organizations to deploy resources strategically, positioning support staff and security personnel in high-risk locations during peak times.
CENTEGIX Safety Platformยฎ: Empowering Healthcare Workers
The CENTEGIX Safety Platformยฎ serves as the center of a layered safety plan for workplace violence prevention. This cloud-based solution integrates wearable duress technology, incident response, dynamic mapping, and accessible reporting into one comprehensive safety solution.
CrisisAlertโข
The CrisisAlert wearable badge features one-button activation, allowing healthcare professionals to discreetly request help when faced with threatening or violent behavior. Locating abilities activate only when the wearable duress button is pressed, notifying responders of the incident’s precise location while preserving staff privacy during normal operations.
CrisisAlert operates on private LoRaWAN and Bluetooth networks, providing total campus coverage without dependence on Wi-Fi or cellular service. From patient rooms to parking lots and building to building, staff members can signal for help at any time, anywhere. Survey data shows that 98 percent of CrisisAlert users report feeling safe and supported.
Safety Blueprintยฎ
CENTEGIX Safety Blueprintยฎ provides dynamic digital mapping that equips law enforcement and emergency management teams to strengthen locational awareness before they arrive on-site. Safety Blueprint accelerates incident response time by pinpointing the precise location of an emergency, increases situational awareness by integrating with cameras near the incident, and visualizes the location of safety equipment like fire extinguishers and exit routes.
“Combining incident mapping with wearable duress technology is the key to empowering our healthcare workers,” said Kevin Klauer, DO, EJD, FACEP, FACOEP. “Enabling staff to signal for help, and responders to see exactly who sent the alert and pinpoint where they are, is a huge step towards increasing workplace safety.”
Visitor Management and Accessible Reporting
Enhanced Visitor Management provides healthcare facilities with real-time locating capabilities for volunteers, contractors, and guests through wearable visitor badges and live digital maps. Administrators gain campus-wide visitor visibility and can record and access historical visitor location details.
The Safety Platform delivers simple, automated incident reporting that facilitates accessible reporting for employees. Comprehensive data analytics dashboards let leadership and cross-functional teams track trends, identify risk factors, and adjust safety protocols based on facility-specific patterns. This automated reporting capability helps healthcare organizations comply with Joint Commission documentation requirements and state-mandated incident logging, reducing the administrative burden while strengthening compliance.
Comprehensive Preparation Meets Innovative Technology
Excellent patient care connects directly to worker safety. When healthcare professionals have the confidence and support to address threats of violence, they deliver better patient care. Comprehensive safety plans, staff training, and innovative technology set the stage for effective workplace violence prevention.
Healthcare organizations that invest in safety technology also invest in the well-being of their workers and patients. The evidence demonstrates that prevention costs a fraction of post-incident expenses while improving retention, reducing burnout, and strengthening patient outcomes.
Learn more about how CENTEGIX makes workplace violence prevention possible for healthcare facilities.
