Violence against nurses is not an occasional incident. For many it is part of the job. A 2026 survey of 2,090 nurses by Nurse.org found that, over the previous 12 months:
- 52% faced verbal threats or aggressive language.
- 27% were physically assaulted: hit, kicked, pushed, bitten or grabbed.
- 10% experienced sexual harassment or unwanted contact.
- 4% were threatened with a weapon.
- 34% do not feel safe from violence at work.
Where it happens most
| Unit | Physically assaulted |
|---|---|
| Telemetry | 59% |
| Progressive care | 58% |
| Emergency | 51% |
Reporting often goes nowhere
Of the 1,204 nurses who experienced an incident, only 54% formally reported it, and 15% didn’t because they believed nothing would change. Among those who did report, 40% said no action was taken, only 9% felt supported by leadership and just 2% saw staffing or workflow change. “Management is full of empty promises,” one nurse wrote.
What you can do
- Report every incident in writing, even if you think nothing will happen. Patterns in the records are what force change.
- Ask for de-escalation training and clear procedures for calling security.
- Get medical care and time off after an assault. You can also report it to the police.
- Involve your union, because workplace violence laws and staffing campaigns depend on these numbers.
This is not only a US problem. Nurses in Nigeria, Kenya and the UK report the same, from assaults by relatives in emergency departments to online harassment.
Source: Nurse.org 2026 State of Nursing Survey (April 2026). The sample is drawn from Nurse.org’s audience, so it is not nationally representative.