A growing number of healthcare professionals in the U.S. are considering walking away from their roles due to persistent threats to their safety, according to new research from Verkada and The Harris Poll. Nearly 45% of respondents said they are likely to leave their jobs within the next year, with safety issues ranking as a key reason. Two in five workers specifically cited workplace safety as a reason they’ve thought about leaving.
An Already Stressed Workforce Faces New Risks
These concerns come at a time when the healthcare industry is already strained. Since 2022, more than 138,000 nurses have left the profession. Among those surveyed, nurses expressed stronger intentions to leave compared to physicians—50% versus 39%. Over half of all respondents said concerns about safety are discouraging new talent from entering the field, threatening the future pipeline of workers.
Violence and Harassment Are Everyday Realities
Workplace conflict has become routine for many. Roughly 3 million healthcare professionals begin each shift expecting verbal or physical confrontation. One in five say they worry about being verbally harassed by patients nearly every time they go to work. These concerns are grounded in real experience: 79% of healthcare workers reported witnessing or enduring aggressive behavior from patients.
Women, Nurses, and Gen Z Bear the Brunt
The exposure to violence isn’t uniform. Women reported facing higher levels of every type of aggression. Nurses, who typically have more direct patient contact, are more than twice as likely as physicians to be physically assaulted (60% compared to 29%). Younger workers are also more vulnerable—60% of Gen Z employees reported being physically attacked at work, compared to only 19% of Baby Boomers.
Security Measures Fall Short Across Many Facilities
Despite widespread concerns, many healthcare workplaces are not investing in adequate protections. Forty-one percent of workers described their facility’s security as minimal, and 77% said there had been no meaningful change to security protocols over the past year. Simple measures such as visitor ID checks are in place at just 40% of hospitals surveyed.
Staff Call for Stronger Safety Systems
Healthcare workers overwhelmingly support increased investment in safety infrastructure. The top three measures they say would make them feel safer include on-site security guards (63%), weapon detection systems (49%), and panic buttons (48%). There is a strong desire for visible, actionable protections, not just policies on paper.
The Cost of Inaction Goes Beyond Safety
Beyond the physical and emotional toll, the lack of workplace protection is adding to the financial burden on the healthcare system. Violence in healthcare settings is estimated to cost the industry $18 billion annually. As staffing shortages worsen and fewer people enter the field, the long-term effects could further destabilize patient care nationwide.
