Joint Statement on Workplace Violence and Protecting Those Who Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On National Patient Safety Day and National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), along with several associations and foundations, reaffirms its commitment to protecting the safety and well-being of the healthcare workforce and the patients they serve.

Today's Capitol Hill briefing, Protecting Those Who Care: Addressing Violence Against Healthcare Workers, highlighted the epidemic of violence confronting healthcare workers and its deleterious effects on the workforce, patients, and the healthcare system.

Every day, social workers and providers face an unacceptable reality: the all-too-frequent incidents of violence in healthcare settings disrupt patient care and result in injuries or death. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics have consistently shown that social service workers and healthcare workers experience workplace violence at higher rates than workers in any other sector, a troubling trend that persists despite national attention and numerous efforts to mitigate risk and protect healthcare workers.

As national organizations representing the ecosystem of healthcare delivery, including social workers, hospitals and health systems, clinicians, patients, and other advocates, we stand united in our belief that no one should be harmed while providing or receiving care. Workplace violence, including physical assaults, threats, intimidation, and harassment, erodes the safety and dignity of social workers and others, directly contributes to staff burnout, turnover, and staffing shortages, and compromises the quality of care and patient safety. This violence undermines providers' ability to ensure safe, healing environments for all.

Our organizations support efforts that prioritize prevention, promote effective workplace safety practices, and reinforce the shared responsibility of healthcare leaders and the workforce to foster a culture of safety. These efforts include investing in evidence-based approaches, strengthening systems to prevent and respond to violence, and foster reporting. A safe and supported healthcare workforce is essential to deliver safe, high-quality patient care.

• National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
• American Nurses Association
• Association of American Medical Colleges
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• American Hospital Association
• American Psychiatric Association
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
• Children's Hospital Association
• Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation
• National Health Council
• National Rural Health Association

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.