Every day, nurses step into their roles as the backbone of healthcare, providing comfort, compassion, and care for patients. Unfortunately, some of these dedicated nurses are impacted by violence in their workplace. According to an American College of Surgeons article, a 2024 nationwide survey conducted by National Nurses United (NNU) found that in 2023, 81.6% of nurses have experienced at least one type of workplace violence incident, and nearly half have seen a rise in rates of violence. Whether it’s verbal threats, physical assaults, or even worse, nurses are facing an alarming increase in threats to their safety.
The growing number of violent incidents not only puts these healthcare heroes at risk of harm but also affects patient care and overall hospital operations. In this blog, we’ll cover how Intrado Safety Suite can help healthcare facilities protect their staff and create a safer environment for everyone.
The Harsh Reality – Violence in Healthcare Settings
The emotional and physical toll on nurses is staggering. The NNU 2023 survey explains how a majority of nurses (65.3%) reported experiencing anxiety, fear, or increased vigilance as a result of workplace violence. One in three nurses (33.4%) reported experiencing a physical injury or other physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, stomach aches, etc.) due to workplace violence. More than one in four nurses (27.4%) reported difficulty working in an environment that reminded them of a past incident.
Workplace violence in healthcare often goes unreported due to fear, lack of support, or its normalization. This leads to higher nurse turnover, disrupting patient care and creating a cycle of understaffing and reduced safety. It is essential to protect the individuals who dedicate their lives to caring for others.
Empowering Emergency Response with Safety Suite
During an emergency, instant communication is crucial. Safety Suite offers healthcare facilities a centralized incident management platform providing an "all-in-one" solution for mass notification, one-touch lockdowns, silent panic alert activation, desktop and mobile alerts, digital checklists, live and pre-recorded announcements, 911 alerting, and more.
Employee Safety Devices such as Intrado’s Wearable Panic Button and Mobile app panic buttons are ideal for solo workers like nurses, doctors, in-home care staff, medical receptionists, and on-site pharmacy personnel. With (silent) panic buttons, users save valuable time by automatically transmitting critical data – including location, incident details, floor plans and more - to fellow staff, security officers, and local 911 dispatchers.
Securing the Heart of Healthcare
Protecting nurses means protecting the heart of healthcare. These heroes face the dual challenge of delivering exceptional care while navigating the growing threat of workplace violence. Ensuring their safety isn’t just an obligation—it’s essential to creating a secure, efficient, and compassionate care environment.
Safety Suite goes beyond being a safety tool; it’s a comprehensive solution designed to address the unique challenges of healthcare settings. With advanced technology, real-time communication, and proactive threat detection, it helps organizations protect their staff and provide peace of mind where it matters most.
Learn more about Intrado Safety Suite here.
Intrado – Always there in an emergency.