Hospitals have protocols for everything: patient care, emergency response, infection control. But are we doing enough now to protect healthcare workers who care for us? With rising workplace violence, critical staff shortages, and burnout reaching alarming levels are pushing too many healthcare workers to their breaking point.

A recent survey by National Nurses United found that 81.6% of nurses have experienced at least one type of workplace violence in the past year, with 45.5% reporting an increase. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in any other industry, and 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries due to violence occur in healthcare settings (Source).

The question isn't if something needs to change—it's how fast can we fix it?

In this episode of Innovation Obsessed, Robin Goldsmith (Global Lead for Connected Health and Innovation at Verizon Business, Healthcare and Life Sciences Practice) and Patrick Welsh (GM of the Americas at Oosto) discuss why violence against healthcare workers is increasing—and how technology is stepping in to fix it. They are joined by Shawn Fontenot, Oosto's VP of Global Marketing, to explore the healthcare safety crisis and the potential for positive change.

A Dangerous New Normal

For many healthcare workers, violence isn't just a rare occurrence—it's become an expected risk of their jobs.

Patrick shared a troubling story from his sister, who works in nurse recruitment,

"When I talk to my sister and different nurses, I'm starting to see something I haven't seen in 10 years. They accept that getting assaulted may be part of the job. That's completely unacceptable."

He adds, "The more that I talk to people in the healthcare space, the more alarming certain aspects of the healthcare space became to me."

This mindset, where violence is seen as an unavoidable part of the job, highlights the urgent need for better protections for healthcare workers. For Robin, this issue is personal,

"I was 18, alone in a hospital for three weeks, and the nurses were my lifeline. That experience gave me a deep respect for healthcare workers—and a passion for ensuring they feel safe."

A Crisis That's Only Getting Worse

Violence in healthcare isn't new. It's rapidly escalating.

A World Health Organization report estimates that 8% to 38% of healthcare workers experience physical violence at some point in their careers, with many more facing verbal threats and aggression (Source).

While violence is rising across industries, healthcare workers face a heightened risk—they're on the frontlines, caring for people at their most vulnerable, stressed, or volatile moments.

Robin explains why the stakes are even higher,

"We've never seen this level of workplace violence before, and healthcare is not unique. We're seeing it across the board in almost every industry."

Even in this crisis, there are real opportunities for positive change. These challenges serve as a call to action, spurring practical innovations that lead to a safer and more sustainable healthcare environment.

The Ripple Effect: Violence, Burnout, and Staffing Shortages

Workplace violence not only harms healthcare workers, it drives them out of the profession.

• 6 in 10 RNs report that workplace violence has caused them to leave, change jobs, or consider leaving the profession (Source).
• A Mercer report estimates that the U.S. will face a shortage of 100,000 nurses by 2028 (Source).
• 88% of nurses believe that staffing shortages are hurting patient care (Sources).

Hospitals can't afford to let violence push away the very people who make patient care possible.

Robin succinctly captures the crisis:

"They got into this to help people. It wasn't in their job description to put up with this. And I don't think many people realize how bad the shortage is—it's daunting."

Despite the challenges, he remains hopeful:

"I think we have to be optimistic because there's a lot of incredibly passionate people in this space that want to make a difference. Having the opportunity to speak to them makes me optimistic for the future."

With violence on the rise and fewer nurses entering the profession, the healthcare system is at a breaking point. But with leaders, innovators, and frontline workers pushing for change, there's abundant reason to believe in a safer future.

How Innovation is Enhancing Safety

While workplace violence is a growing crisis, hospitals have the technology to make a real difference. Yet, many are slow to adopt solutions that other industries already trust and rely on.

Patrick pointed out that hospitals should take a page from casinos, which invest in proactive security,

"Hospitals are open 24/7, just like casinos. You've got people in various emotional states—some on their best day, some on their worst. The difference? Casinos use AI to detect threats in real time, while hospitals are still playing catch-up."

Beyond security, technology can streamline workflow efficiency. Take hands-free access control—a doctor scrubbed in for surgery shouldn't have to fumble for a badge and risk breaking sterility just to enter a secure area. Facial recognition and smart authentication provide seamless, secure access without interruption.

5G connectivity enhances these innovations, enabling real-time AI security, predictive analytics, and seamless hospital-wide monitoring. Faster, more reliable networks mean smarter protection and safer environments for staff and patients.

The tools exist. The challenge is adapting them to healthcare's needs before more staff walk out the door.

Predictive Analytics: Stopping Violence Before It Starts

Hospitals already use predictive analytics to monitor patient health. So why not apply the same approach to prevent workplace violence?

AI-driven security isn't just a concept, it's already making an impact in hospitals today. Patrick emphasizes the impact,

"The algorithms we've deployed are already helping hospitals today—detecting falls, preventing unauthorized access, even recognizing patterns of behavior that indicate security risks. This isn't the future—it's happening now."

It's time to shift from crisis response to proactive protection. By leveraging predictive analytics, hospitals aren't just reacting to violence, they're preventing it.

Why There's Reason for Optimism

Despite the challenges, there's reason to be hopeful. During the podcast, Shawn highlighted this,

"Robin, you did something audacious on a recent podcast—you talked about optimism in healthcare. And I love that. Because even with all these challenges, there are incredible innovations happening."

Robin echoed this sentiment,

"We have to be optimistic. The pandemic forced us to innovate faster than ever before. Now, we know what's possible. And we know that healthcare professionals want change."

nge—they’re looking for solutions.”

A Call to Action for Healthcare Leaders

Security investments aren’t just about safety—they also make business sense. Hospitals with strong security measures retain staff longer. Safer environments lead to higher patient satisfaction scores. Proactive protection reduces costly lawsuits and liability risks.

Robin states,

“It only takes one really bad incident to ruin a hospital’s reputation and to impact your bottom line. And in health care, that’s life and death. Not only if your network goes down, your critical systems go down and you have to go back to paper.”

Patrick adds,

“Nobody wants to work in an unsafe environment. That’s causing worse patient experiences, which leads to poor scores, which affects reimbursement. Administrations aren’t connecting the dots—violence is a business problem, too.”

The healthcare industry can’t afford to wait. As Patrick put it,

“Protection needs to be as much a priority as patient care—because without safe caregivers, there is no care.”

The statistics are stark. The challenges are immense. Our healthcare workers are facing a crisis. But with innovative technology and a collective commitment, we can create a safer, more supportive environment. We must prioritize their safety and well-being—because without them, patient care collapses.