Fact Sheet: Protecting our Caregivers from Workplace Violence

Pennsylvania’s health care professionals dedicate their lives to caring for others. Violence against health care professionals is never acceptable.

Hospitals are taking action.

Pennsylvania hospitals are implementing tailored strategies to prevent violence, enhance security, and protect staff:
100% provide staff education on safety protocols
99% promote respectful behavior through workplace initiatives
96% offer de-escalation training
95% have enhanced security measures in place 81% post no-tolerance notices for violence 63% use metal detectors and/or AI systems

Source: HAP survey of Pennsylvania hospitals (November 2024 – January 2025)
 

Keeping health care workers safe takes all of us.

Strengthening public policies.

• Pennsylvania made it a felony to assault a health care worker and allows last names to be omitted from hospital ID badges.
• Hospitals are leading advocacy efforts for the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act, a federal initiative to enhance protections and provide grants to prevent violence in hospitals, and support state legislation providing grants for hospitals to tailor safety initiatives to their facilities.

Building regional collaboration.

• Throughout the state, hospitals, law enforcement, prosecutors, and policymakers are working together to prevent and respond to violence against care teams.

Violence has no place in health care.

• Medical professionals need safe workplaces to provide attentive patient care. We must all work together to keep hospital teams safe.

 

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Topics: State Advocacy, Workforce

Revision Date: 3/19/2025

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