Striking hospital employees sound alarm over workplace violence
Healthcare workers across the U.S. are striking to protest rising levels of workplace violence, citing frequent physical assaults in emergency rooms. While hospitals argue these strikes are primarily economic, staff maintain that safety and staffing levels are critical, unaddressed issues.
Why it matters
It underscores a growing crisis in the healthcare sector where staff burnout and safety concerns are leading to labor instability and potential patient care risks.
Nurse Crystal Dhooghe is used to dealing with blood and broken bones in the emergency room. But she didn't expect to witness so much violence against her own colleagues.
This story was produced in partnership with KFF Health News .
"I've seen nurses get shoved, pushed, scratched. The biggest one is bitten," said Dhooghe, who works at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
The prevalence of workplace violence in healthcare has fueled strikes in states such as Louisiana , New York , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , and Michigan , where Dhooghe and many of her coworkers have been on the picket line since Labor Day of last year.
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