Violence Against Nurses Is Out of Control. Let’s Talk About It.

A teacher gets assaulted? It’s a crime, police are called, there’s outrage.

A nurse gets punched in the face? “Well, the patient was confused.” “He didn’t mean it.” “It comes with the territory.”

I call BS on that. And I’m not alone.

Healthcare workers face violence at work more than almost any other profession. We’re talking five times more likely than the average worker to be assaulted on the job.

And it’s getting worse. Emergency departments see the most violence, but it happens everywhere—psych units, med-surg floors, even outpatient clinics.

The attacks come from patients, family members, and visitors. Sometimes it’s someone in a mental health crisis. Sometimes it’s someone who’s confused or in pain. And sometimes? It’s just someone who thinks they can get away with it.

Because let’s be honest—they usually do.

Here’s the part that really gets me: hospitals often don’t report these incidents. A nurse gets shoved, hair pulled, or slapped, and it gets written off as “not serious enough” to document.

Why does this happen? Reporting workplace violence makes the hospital look bad. It affects their safety ratings. It might bring in regulators.

So instead, they tell you to use your “de-escalation techniques.” They send you to a four-hour training on verbal judo. They put up a poster about workplace respect.

Meanwhile, you’re still getting assaulted. You’re just supposed to be better at preventing it.

This makes me genuinely angry, and I don’t get angry about much.

We’ve normalized violence against healthcare workers to the point where nurses feel guilty for being upset about it. I’ve talked to nurses who say things like “I know he didn’t mean to hit me” or “She was just scared.” Sure, context matters. But you know what else matters? Your right to go to work without getting hurt.

Hospitals hide behind patient satisfaction scores and “customer service” culture. They’re so worried about bad reviews that they let violent behavior slide. Security takes 15 minutes to respond. There’s no panic button in the room. And when something does happen, management asks what you did to cause it.

That’s not okay. You’re not a punching bag with a stethoscope.

Beyond the obvious—you deserve to be safe at work—this affects everything about your job.

Nurses who experience workplace violence are more likely to burn out. They’re more likely to leave bedside nursing altogether. The constant threat of violence creates this low-level anxiety that follows you through every shift.

And here’s something most people don’t think about: it affects patient care. When you’re constantly on guard, scanning for threats, managing aggressive behavior—that’s energy you can’t put into actual nursing.

Plus, let’s talk money for a second. If you get injured, you might face workers’ comp claims, medical bills, time off work, even PTSD treatment. Most hospitals will fight your workers’ comp claim if they can. They’ll say you didn’t follow protocol or that the injury wasn’t that serious.

So you’re dealing with physical injury, emotional trauma, and financial stress.

Cool. Great. Love that for us.

Got a workplace violence story you want to share? Or tips on hospitals that actually protect their staff? Hit reply—I read every email. And if you know a nurse who needs to hear this, forward it to them.

— Jason

If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can do it right now. No more waiting. No more guessing your real take-home pay.

Here’s what you’ll get inside:

✅ See after-tax nursing salaries across 1,000+ U.S. cities
✅ Compare leftover income after rent or mortgage
✅ View crime stats, housing costs, and cost-of-living in any city
✅ Filter by shift, role, or how much money you want left over
✅ Join a private, nurse-only community where receipts (and pay stubs) speak louder than opinions

We built this for you—because you deserve to know where your money goes and where it goes further.

👇 Haven’t downloaded it yet? Grab it now: