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Workplace violence reaches Capitol Hill. Make prevention a safety priority

A coalition of national health organizations took the issue of violence against caregivers to Capitol Hill this week, framing it as a patient safety and workforce stability problem that leaders must own.

3 min read
Workplace violence reaches Capitol Hill. Make prevention a safety priority

Executive takeaway

Workplace violence is a patient safety and retention issue, not only a security matter. Give it an executive owner, a threat assessment team and a regular place on the board’s safety dashboard.

Article

What happened

On September 17, eleven national organizations, including the American Hospital Association, the American Nurses Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Children’s Hospital Association and the National Rural Health Association, held a briefing on Capitol Hill titled “Protecting Those Who Care: Addressing Violence Against Healthcare Workers.” Clinical leaders from Children’s National Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai joined nursing educators to describe physical and verbal attacks they have faced and what hospitals are doing to reduce them. Reps. John Joyce of Pennsylvania and Joe Courtney of Connecticut spoke briefly.

The groups released a joint statement saying assaults, threats, intimidation and harassment erode the safety and dignity of caregivers and contribute to burnout, turnover and staffing shortages while undermining care quality and patient safety. Citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data, they noted that health care and social service workers face workplace violence at higher rates than workers in any other sector. The statement did not endorse specific legislation. It called for prevention, evidence-based approaches, stronger systems to prevent and respond to violence, better incident reporting and shared responsibility between leaders and staff.

From statement to operating plan

Several organizations are already moving toward prevention. In an AHA podcast released September 14, a behavioral health operations leader at St. Louis Children’s Hospital described how teams there use behavioral assessments, early intervention and de-escalation to keep patients, families and staff safe. The AHA has also promoted behavioral threat assessment and management programs, which bring cross-functional teams together with clear workflows so concerning behavior is addressed before it escalates.

Questions for executives and boards

  • Do we see the full picture? Incidents such as verbal abuse can easily go unreported. Make reporting quick, protect staff who report and share back what changed.
  • Who owns threat assessment? Confirm there is a standing team spanning security, nursing, behavioral health, human resources and legal, with authority to act.
  • Is everyone trained? De-escalation skills belong in onboarding and annual training for front-line staff, not only in the emergency department.
  • Do we support those harmed? Offer prompt follow-up, time off when needed and help navigating any legal steps.
  • Is it on the dashboard? Track incidents, injuries and lost time alongside other safety and workforce measures reported to the board.

Archive entry for Sep 20, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.

Sources

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