Emergency room nurse Crystal Dhooghe spoke at a rally held at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing. On March 17, she addressed the issues facing healthcare workers like herself. Since September 1, 2025, she and many colleagues have been on strike at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital. The strike highlights a growing concern about workplace violence in the healthcare sector.
Crystal Dhooghe is familiar with emergencies involving wounds and fractures. However, she is dismayed by increasing violence against healthcare staff. “I’ve witnessed nurses being shoved, pushed, scratched, and bitten,” Dhooghe shared. These incidents occur at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
Unionized workers around the country, including in Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Michigan, are striking due to this violence. Dhooghe, relying on strike benefits and additional work elsewhere, remarked, “People ask why I stay despite the treatment. Unfortunately, conditions are similar everywhere.”
Acknowledging the issue, Henry Ford spokesperson Dana Jay said healthcare violence is a “national epidemic.” The hospital’s response includes deploying metal detectors, armed security, and de-escalation training. “Violence is not tolerated,” said Jay, adding that the strike is economically motivated rather than safety-related.
Workplace Violence in Healthcare
Healthcare workers face significant risk, being seven times more likely to encounter job-related violence than other workers. This data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The level of violence is partly due to understaffing and inadequate training.
Professors like Rachel Odes describe emergency rooms as extremely tense environments. The potential for violence increases with inadequate staffing or ill-prepared personnel. Reports of “code gray” incidents, indicating violent outbursts by patients, are common.
A Call for Safe Staffing
Nationwide, striking healthcare workers are calling for “safe staffing” rather than harsher penalties for violent patients. The Joint Commission has implemented national goals to ensure proper staffing and training for healthcare providers. These guidelines aim to enhance safety and quality care in hospitals.
However, there is no federal law mandating the number of patients a nurse can care for. Since 2018, the National Nurses United union advocates for national standards, emphasizing that safe staffing allows nurses to care for patients effectively, preventing agitation or disorientation. Only California has a comprehensive nurse staffing policy, which reportedly improves patient outcomes and reduces turnover. Other states, like Oregon, have enacted limited staffing laws.
The American Hospital Association opposes obligatory nurse-to-patient ratios, arguing they limit clinical judgment and worsen staffing crises. They suggest alternatives to mitigate violence, such as training on de-escalation and using metal detectors.
Educational policy expert Debbie Berkowitz warns that funding cuts, due to recent healthcare legislative changes, may compromise worker safety initiatives. As resources diminish, healthcare worker protection might be among the first areas to be compromised.