Creating Conditions to Thrive: Why Workplace Safety is the Foundation of Exceptional Care
By: Janet Wirt, MSN, RN, CPXP, RNC-NIC
We deserve to feel safe and protected.
There are moments in our careers that stay with us forever. Some are moments we celebrate, and then there are moments that quietly change us.
One of those moments happened to me in a NICU patient room. I was meeting with the father of one of our babies. His newborn was critically ill, and his emotions were understandable. Any parent facing uncertainty about their child’s health is experiencing one of the most difficult moments of their life. As nurses and leaders, we are called to meet families with compassion, empathy, and grace.
During our conversation, he became increasingly upset. As he talked, he began swinging the heavy keys attached to his lanyard.
- Back and forth. Around and around.
- As I watched and listened, I realized something that stopped me.
- I was backed into a corner.
- There was no easy path to the door.
For the first time in more than 30 years as a nurse, I wasn’t thinking about how to support a family. I wasn’t thinking about the baby’s plan of care or how to help de-escalate the situation.
I was wondering if I was safe.
Thankfully, nothing happened. The conversation ended, and I walked out of that room unharmed. But I didn’t walk away unchanged.
The Question That Changed My Leadership
Looking back, I don’t think about that moment because it was the most frightening experience of my career. It wasn’t. I think about it because it changed the questions I ask as a leader. Throughout my career, I have focused on creating environments where nurses can provide excellent care, grow professionally, and feel supported. We spend so much time talking about patient safety, quality outcomes, engagement, and wellbeing.
But that experience caused me to ask a different question: Can our caregivers truly thrive if they do not feel safe?
I have always believed that one of the greatest responsibilities of leadership is creating a culture where people feel valued and supported. That includes emotional, psychological, and physical safety. Somewhere along the way, workplace violence became something many healthcare workers quietly accepted as “part of the job.” It shouldn’t be. And it cannot continue to be.
A Reality Healthcare Leaders Must Face
After that experience, I began paying closer attention to the conversations happening across healthcare. What I discovered was both validating and heartbreaking. My experience was not unique.
Healthcare workers continue to face a disproportionate risk of workplace violence. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare and social assistance industry had the highest number and rate of workplace violence cases among private industries from 2021–2022, accounting for 72.8% of private industry workplace violence cases requiring days away from work, job restriction, or transfer during that period.
- Behind every statistic is a person.
- A nurse walking into a patient room.
- A respiratory therapist responding to an emergency.
- A physician delivering difficult news.
- A technician, transporter, or support team member trying to provide compassionate care.
- These are people who come to work every day to help others.
- They deserve to feel safe while doing it.
Seeing the Bigger Picture in Obstetrics and Newborn Care
As I learned more about workplace violence, I read the Securitas Healthcare white paper, Workplace Violence in Obstetrics: An Analysis of Safety Gaps and Evidence-Based Solutions.
What stood out to me was how closely the findings reflected what many healthcare leaders have experienced. Obstetrics and neonatal care are often viewed as some of the happiest areas of the hospital. Families may also be facing unexpected diagnoses, complicated pregnancies, prolonged hospitalizations, addiction, mental health challenges, or difficult family dynamics. Those emotions do not disappear simply because the setting is a place where new life begins.
The Securitas Healthcare report highlights that obstetrics teams face workplace violence risks that are sometimes overlooked because these areas are perceived as positive environments. The report found that 81% of obstetrics nursing professionals experience workplace violence at least multiple times per year. It also found that 89% of respondents without portable duress buttons said they would feel safer with access to them, while 90% of respondents who already have portable duress buttons reported feeling safer with their current security measures.
Those numbers stayed with me. Not because they are about technology. Because they are about trust. What caregivers are really saying is: “If I need help, will someone come?” That is a leadership question.
What Message Are We Sending Our Caregivers?
I have found myself returning to one question:
- What message are we sending?
- When a nurse chooses not to report a threatening interaction because they believe nothing will change…
- What message are we sending?
- When a caregiver enters a room wondering if support is nearby…
- What message are we sending?
- When workplace violence becomes something people simply tolerate…
- What message are we sending?
- Now imagine the opposite.
Imagine a workplace where leaders encourage reporting because they want to learn and improve. Imagine a culture where de-escalation training is viewed as an essential skill. Imagine caregivers knowing that their concerns will be taken seriously and that leadership will respond quickly and effectively. That sends a very different message. We see you. We hear you. Your safety matters to us as hospital leaders and as human beings.
When leaders demonstrate a commitment to safety, confidence grows. Trust grows. Morale improves. And when caregivers feel supported, they are better able to focus on what brought them into healthcare in the first place—caring for patients and families.
Safety Requires More Than One Solution
There is no single solution that will eliminate every difficult encounter. However, organizations can create safer environments by combining leadership commitment, education, reporting systems, de-escalation training, visitor management strategies, multidisciplinary workplace violence teams, and technology that allows caregivers to quickly request assistance.
The Securitas Healthcare report emphasizes this type of comprehensive approach—combining culture, training, processes, and technology to better protect healthcare workers. What I appreciate about this perspective is that it recognizes workplace safety is not just a security issue. It is a leadership issue. It is a culture issue. It is a workforce well-being issue.
One Step Toward Safety
When I first learned more about wearable duress technology, I focused on the device itself. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the technology represents something much bigger. It represents a commitment. A wearable emergency response badge is another layer of protection for caregivers. It allows staff members to discreetly request assistance and helps response teams know where support is needed. But the most important message is not the technology. It is what the technology tells employees.
We will respond, and you deserve to be safe at work. From the moment you exit your car and enter campus, we think about your safety.
I will always remember those keys. Not because anything happened. But because, for a brief moment, I understood what it felt like to question my own safety. That moment changed the way I think about leadership. I have spent my career focused on creating environments where people can do their best work. I now believe that begins with creating environments where people feel safe. Today, we have an opportunity to ensure no caregiver feels trapped by a workplace that was not prepared to protect them.
If you are a healthcare leader asking, “Where do we begin?” I encourage you to explore Securitas Healthcare’s white paper, Workplace Violence in Obstetrics: An Analysis of Safety Gaps and Evidence-Based Solutions.
The report provides valuable insight into the unique workplace violence challenges facing obstetric teams and offers evidence-based strategies organizations can consider as they strengthen workplace safety efforts.
My story is only one story.
The data tells a much larger one.
Those who care for our patients deserve to work in an environment where they feel safe, supported, and valued.
Because when we care for those who care for others, everyone benefits.
Meet the Author
Janet Wirt, MSN, RN, CPXP, RNC-NIC is a retired nurse leader, leadership mentor, and patient experience advocate with more than 40 years of neonatal and nursing leadership experience. She is passionate about creating environments where caregivers thrive, patients receive exceptional care, and workplace safety is a leadership priority.
Citations
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workplace Violence in Healthcare and Social Assistance, 2021–2022.
- Securitas Healthcare. Workplace Violence in Obstetrics: An Analysis of Safety Gaps and Evidence-Based Solutions.
- Securitas Healthcare. Staff Protection Solution Overview.
Learn more about Securitas Healthcare
The material presented in this blog represents the opinion of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of Synova Associates. Synova Associates does not endorse any specific products or organizations but strives to connect its industry partners with leaders interested in product/educational innovation.
