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News
Three in four emergency care workers witnessed workplace violence in the past year, a global survey reveals. Verbal abuse tops the list, but physical assaults are alarmingly common too — and nearly half say care quality has suffered as a result. Experts are calling for better training, stronger safety protocols, and organizational reforms to tackle the crisis head-on.
A sweeping international survey of over 1,300 emergency healthcare professionals across 81 countries has painted a stark picture of workplace violence in emergency settings. Presented at the 2026 EUSEM Congress and published in the European Journal of Emergency Medicine, the findings show that 75.5% of respondents witnessed violence in the past year, with patients and their family members identified as the primary perpetrators — often fueled by intoxication or psychiatric illness.
Verbal abuse was the most prevalent form of violence (87.8%), but physical assaults (42.3%) and property damage (26.4%) were also widespread. Women bore a disproportionate psychological burden, with 72.2% reporting psychological victimization compared to 40.4% of men. Nearly half of respondents (48.3%) said violence had worsened over the past five years, and 45.8% felt it had directly compromised the quality of care they delivered. Experts are urging systemic change — from reducing ED overcrowding and improving patient flow, to mandatory de-escalation training and better psychosocial support for staff.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Workplace violence isn't just a safety issue — it's a patient care crisis. When healthcare workers are harmed or traumatized, the quality of care they can provide suffers. Without urgent structural and policy interventions, emergency departments risk losing staff and compromising the very care they exist to deliver.
