Healthcare Workers Demand Better Safety Measures
New research shows 68% of healthcare staff faced violence last year, with many prioritizing security features over continuous location tracking.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Apr 09, 2026
Healthcare staff are increasingly prioritizing workplace safety as a top factor in job satisfaction, according to CENTEGIX’s 2026 Healthcare Workforce Safety Report. The study finds that while violence against clinicians is rising, a majority of workers feel their employers are not doing enough to protect them.
According to the data, 68% of healthcare workers have personally experienced at least one violent incident in the past year. These safety concerns are now directly impacting the industry’s labor crisis, with 54% of respondents stating that staff safety measures are a primary consideration when evaluating potential employers.
The report highlights a disconnect between administrative efforts and employee perceptions. Currently, 61% of healthcare workers believe their organization’s safety initiatives do not demonstrate a strong concern for security. Preparedness also remains an issue, as only 36% of staff reported receiving both safety training and hands-on drill practice within the last year.
Proactive Screening Trends
The shift toward more robust security infrastructure is already underway across many campuses. As noted by Marilyn Thaxton in a recent report on the rise of weapon detectors in hospitals, healthcare facilities are increasingly moving from reactive measures to proactive detection systems to combat these rising threats.
When asked about preferred security solutions, employees identified a "layered" approach as the most effective. Respondents ranked security personnel as the most vital resource, followed by user-activated wearable duress buttons and video monitoring.
Privacy remains a significant factor in technology adoption. Nearly 70% of healthcare workers indicated a preference for wearable devices that only share location data when an alert is manually triggered, rather than devices that provide continuous surveillance.
The research suggests that when employees feel protected, the quality of patient care improves. Among workers equipped with wearable duress technology, 45% reported that the device enhanced their ability to provide quality care. These employees also reported higher confidence in their organization's ability to respond to extreme emergencies, such as active-shooter situations.
To address these gaps, the report recommends that healthcare facilities move toward holistic safety plans that combine physical security with privacy-conscious technology and regular, scenario-based training.