Nearly three in five Americans (60%) report being concerned about the safety and security of loved ones in hospitals or medical facilities, according to a new consumer survey from Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX).
With incidents of workplace violence in healthcare on the rise across the nation, the survey additionally reveals that approximately 70% of Americans believe that if nurses felt safer, they might not be leaving the profession in large numbers. Also, 88% say individuals in a hospital or medical facility should feel as safe there as they do in airports and/or on airplanes.
“These results make it clear that Americans are justifiably concerned about workplace violence in healthcare,” said Chrystie Leonard, General Manager, GHX Vendormate. “We know violence is a contributing factor to nurses leaving the profession and rising levels of burnout which ultimately has a negative effect on patient care. More than ever, it’s vital for hospital leadership to create a safer, more secure environment for staff, patients, and visitors and support policies that adopt a zero-tolerance approach to workplace violence.”
Additional findings from the survey include:
- 58% of Americans are worried about nurses and other clinicians being harmed while on hospital property
- 66% of Americans agree nurses and other frontline healthcare workers are more likely than those in other professions to be victims of workplace violence and 69% agree safety is a cause of nurses leaving the profession in large numbers
- More than half of Americans (57%) say burn out from the past few years plays a role in contributing to healthcare labor shortages
- Almost nine in 10 Americans (88%) believe that keeping track of every hospital visitor is essential to safety
- 82% of Americans believe that more state/federal action should be taken to keep healthcare workers safe
- Three in four Americans (75%) say that hospitals have an opportunity to improve the safety and security of their facilities
- 63% of Americans are concerned about someone unauthorized walking the halls of a hospital and two in five Americans (40%), or more than 100 million people, don’t feel safe entering a hospital and/or medical facility today
The online survey of 2,063 U.S. adults was conducted in March 2022.
