Workplace violence is a routine part of nursing work, with 82% of nurses reporting exposure to verbal abuse from patients or visitors. Physical attacks, threats, and lateral violence show up alongside daily incidents, not as rare exceptions. The data also links persistent exposure to prevention gaps that leave many units without consistent protection.
Key Takeaways
- 85% of assaults perpetrated by patients
- Family/visitors cause 30% of verbal abuse
- 15% of violence from coworkers
- 82% of nurses reported exposure to verbal abuse from patients or visitors in a 2023 survey
- In 2022, 44% of emergency department nurses experienced physical violence
- 75% of nurses in long-term care facilities faced workplace violence in the last year per OSHA data
- Only 30% of workplace violence incidents are formally reported by nurses
- 49% fear retaliation for reporting
- 70% of hospitals lack violence prevention programs
- Physical assaults make up 25% of all workplace violence incidents against nurses
- Verbal abuse constitutes 68% of reported violence cases
- Sexual harassment reported in 12% of nurse violence incidents
- 35% of assaulted nurses required medical treatment
- 52% reported PTSD symptoms post-assault
- 28% job turnover due to violence exposure
Workplace violence against nurses is common, especially verbal abuse, with only 30% of incidents formally reported.
Related reading
01 · Category
Perpetrator Profiles29 stats
01
85% of assaults perpetrated by patients
02
Family/visitors cause 30% of verbal abuse
03
15% of violence from coworkers
04
Patients under substance influence 40% of physical
05
Male patients 70% of physical assailants
06
Psychiatric patients 25% higher likelihood
07
Elderly patients 20% verbal aggressors
08
Intoxicated individuals 35% in ED
09
Supervisors 5% bullying sources
10
Delirious patients 28%
11
Repeat offenders 12% patients
12
Males aged 30-50 45% physical
13
Family in distress 22%
14
Staff with burnout 8%
15
Homeless patients 18% aggressors
16
Patients with dementia 15%
17
Young adults 25-34 32%
18
Criminal backgrounds 10%
19
Nurses as perps in 7% lateral violence
20
Male staff 60% physical perps
21
Substance abusers 42%
22
Visitors under stress 27%
23
Peers in high-stress units 11%
24
Patients with pain 19%
25
Gang-affiliated 3%
26
Caregivers 16%
27
Mental illness diagnosed 33%
28
Night visitors 14%
29
Overweight patients less aggressive 5% less
Interpretation
Perpetrator Profiles Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim portrait of a workplace where the primary threat is not a shadowy stranger but the very people in your care, revealing that nursing is a profession where compassion must constantly armor itself against the volatile intersection of human suffering, intoxication, and systemic strain.
02 · Category
Prevalence Rates30 stats
01
82% of nurses reported exposure to verbal abuse from patients or visitors in a 2023 survey
02
In 2022, 44% of emergency department nurses experienced physical violence
03
75% of nurses in long-term care facilities faced workplace violence in the last year per OSHA data
04
A 2021 study found 56% lifetime prevalence of workplace violence among nurses
05
13.1 assaults per 100 nurses annually in psychiatric settings
06
48% of nurses reported non-physical violence weekly
07
28% of U.S. nurses experienced physical assault in past 12 months
08
Verbal abuse reported by 60% of nurses daily in hospitals
09
37% of nurses in acute care faced violence from patients
10
65% prevalence in ICU nurses for workplace aggression
11
52% of pediatric nurses reported violence incidents yearly
12
41% of nurses experienced threats of violence
13
70% of night-shift nurses faced verbal abuse
14
33% physical violence rate in ED nurses per year
15
59% of nurses reported stalking behaviors from patients
16
46% incidence in rural hospital nurses
17
67% verbal aggression in oncology units
18
25% physical assaults leading to injury among nurses
19
54% of new graduate nurses experienced violence in first year
20
62% prevalence in public hospitals vs 38% private
21
49% of male nurses reported higher physical violence
22
71% lifetime exposure for veteran nurses
23
39% weekly incidents in COVID wards
24
55% of nurses in Australia reported violence
25
63% verbal abuse from families
26
42% physical violence in mental health units
27
58% overall in Canadian nurses
28
50% increase post-pandemic
29
66% in teaching hospitals
30
45% among travel nurses
Interpretation
Prevalence Rates Interpretation
The staggering and persistent spectrum of violence against nurses—from daily verbal slurs to physical assaults across nearly every specialty and shift—reveals a healthcare environment where providing care has become, statistically, a routinely hazardous occupation.
03 · Category
Prevention and Policy30 stats
01
Only 30% of workplace violence incidents are formally reported by nurses
02
49% fear retaliation for reporting
03
70% of hospitals lack violence prevention programs
04
Training reduces incidents by 34%
05
De-escalation training adopted in 45% facilities
06
Panic buttons used in 25% hospitals reduce response time 50%
07
Zero-tolerance policies in 60% but enforced 20%
08
Post-incident support offered to 35%
09
Legislation mandates reporting in 15 states
10
CCTV in high-risk areas 55% effective deterrent
11
Risk assessments annual in 40%
12
Employee assistance programs reduce turnover 22%
13
Metal detectors in ED 18% facilities
14
Mandatory reporting laws cover 50% healthcare workers
15
Simulation training cuts assaults 28%
16
Visitor screening 32%
17
OSHA guidelines followed by 65%
18
Anonymous reporting boosts by 40%
19
Multi-disciplinary committees in 50%
20
Federal funding for prevention $10M annually
21
Weapons bans enforced 75%
22
Peer support post-assault 27%
23
Environmental designs reduce 19%
24
Annual audits in 38%
25
EAP utilization 18% post-incident
26
State laws vary, 20 states require programs
27
Tech alerts reduce response 45s avg
28
Policy updates post-2020 in 55%
29
Compliance training 80% staff yearly
30
Benchmarking reduces rates 15%
Interpretation
Prevention and Policy Interpretation
It seems the healthcare industry has the recipe to significantly curb violence against nurses—mixing training, technology, and support—but persistently chooses to bake a half-measure pie where the main ingredient is hope that the problem fixes itself.
More related reading
04 · Category
Types of Assaults29 stats
01
Physical assaults make up 25% of all workplace violence incidents against nurses
02
Verbal abuse constitutes 68% of reported violence cases
03
Sexual harassment reported in 12% of nurse violence incidents
04
Intimidation/threats account for 22% of aggressions
05
Bullying by colleagues in 15% of cases among nurses
06
Patient-related physical violence 40%, staff-related 10%
07
Needle sticks from assaults 5% of injuries
08
Racial harassment 8% in diverse settings
09
Visitor assaults 18% of total
10
Cyberbullying via work comms 7%
11
Hitting/punching 30% of physical types
12
Spitting incidents 14%
13
Sexual assault 3-5%
14
Property damage linked violence 9%
15
Yelling/screaming 55% verbal
16
Grabbing/pushing 35% physical
17
Stalking 6%
18
Lateral violence 20% from peers
19
Biting 12% in peds/psych
20
Discrimination-based 11%
21
Kicking 18%
22
Humiliation 45% verbal subtype
23
Weapon use 2%
24
Throwing objects 16%
25
Insults 60% verbal
26
Choking/strangling 1%
27
Gossip/sabotage 13% horizontal
28
Scratching 10%
29
Threats with weapons 4%
Interpretation
Types of Assaults Interpretation
This shocking statistical symphony reveals that a nurse's primary workplace hazard isn't a pathogen, but rather the human capacity for venom, whether it's sprayed from a mouth in a 55% chance of screaming, hurled as an insult 60% of the time, or physically expressed through a 30% likelihood of a punch.
05 · Category
Victim Impacts30 stats
01
35% of assaulted nurses required medical treatment
02
52% reported PTSD symptoms post-assault
03
28% job turnover due to violence exposure
04
41% increased anxiety levels
05
22% chronic pain from injuries
06
60% fear of future violence
07
15% disability claims filed
08
47% burnout increase
09
33% reduced patient care quality self-reported
10
19% depression diagnoses post-incident
11
55% sleep disturbances
12
26% absenteeism rise
13
38% loss of confidence
14
12% permanent injuries
15
64% emotional exhaustion
16
44% hypervigilance ongoing
17
21% fractures/concussions
18
50% compassion fatigue
19
17% lawsuits filed by victims
20
62% decreased job satisfaction
21
24% substance use coping
22
36% trust issues with patients
23
48% somatic symptoms
24
14% early retirement
25
57% moral injury
26
31% family strain
27
40% reduced productivity
28
23% therapy sought
29
49% cynicism development
30
27% medication for anxiety
Interpretation
Victim Impacts Interpretation
These statistics are a chilling clinical chart of an epidemic, revealing that workplace violence against nurses is not just a series of incidents, but a systemic toxin that poisons the caregiver, cripples the care, and hemorrhages the entire healthcare system from the inside out.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Elif Demirci. (2026, February 13). Nursing Workplace Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nursing-workplace-violence-statistics
MLA
Elif Demirci. "Nursing Workplace Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/nursing-workplace-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Elif Demirci. 2026. "Nursing Workplace Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/nursing-workplace-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level