A poll shows many healthcare professionals are considering quitting
of ConsumerAffairsJuly 23, 2025
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Nearly 2 in 5 U.S. healthcare workers have considered leaving their jobs due to safety concerns.
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45% say theyre likely to leave their positions within the next year50% of nurses included.
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82% want stronger workplace security, but most report no improvements in the last 12 months.
The U.S. is experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers and a new poll suggests that troubling trend is about to get worse. A significant number of healthcare workers in the United States are contemplating leaving their profession.
According to a new report released by Verkada in collaboration with The Harris Poll, nearly 40% of healthcare workers have considered quitting due to safety concerns and workplace violence. Forty-five percent of them said theyre likely to exit the field within the next 12 months.
The figures are even more dire among nurses, half of whom report intentions to leave their roles, outpacing the 39% of physicians who feel the same.
These findings come on the heels of a troubling trend: since 2022, approximately 138,000 nurses have already left the workforce. Verkadas Healthcare Worker Safety Report highlights how a perceived lack of workplace safety is compounding an already dire staffing crisis.
Violence, harassment and unequal risk exposure
Healthcare workers say they face a daily reality marred by threats and harassment. An overwhelming 79% of respondents say they have either experienced or witnessed aggressive behavior from patients. One in five report worrying about verbal harassment every time they go to work.
The burden, however, is not evenly distributed. Women and nurses face heightened exposure to violence. While 60% of nurses report being physically assaulted on the job, only 29% of physicians say the same.
Generational differences are also striking: 60% of Gen Z workers report being physically assaulted, three times the rate of their baby boomer counterparts.
Beyond direct exposure, over half of healthcare workers (52%) believe that safety fears are deterring prospective workers from entering the profession at all.
Security measures lag the threat
Despite widespread concern, many healthcare employers have not kept pace with the evolving threat environment. According to the report, 41% of healthcare workers describe their facilitys security as minimal, and 77% report that no new security measures have been introduced in the past year. Even basic safety protocols, such as visitor ID checks, are only enforced in 40% of hospitals.
In response, an overwhelming 82% of healthcare professionals said they want stronger security policies. The top measures workers say would help: on-site security guards (63%), weapon detection technology (49%), and panic buttons (48%).
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