Caring for the Workforce
Safe, high-quality care begins with a healthy, supported workforce. The well-being of healthcare professionals is not only a moral responsibility—it is a patient safety imperative. When caregivers feel safe, valued, and equipped to do their jobs, they can focus fully on delivering the best possible care.
The Mid-Atlantic Patient Safety Center is committed to advancing strategies that protect and nurture those on the front lines of healthcare. We recognize that caring for the workforce requires a multi-faceted approach: preventing and addressing workplace violence, promoting mental health and resilience, equipping leaders with trauma-informed practices, and ensuring that systems are in place to support caregivers after adverse events.
Through education, resources, and collaborative initiatives, we work with healthcare organizations across the Mid-Atlantic to create environments where healthcare teams can thrive—because caring for those who care for others is essential to protecting patients and strengthening our healthcare system.
Trauma Isn’t Just a Patient Experience — It’s a Workforce Reality
Healthcare providers are frequently exposed to traumatic events — deaths, suffering, blood loss, and workplace violence. These experiences, especially post-pandemic, have left deep emotional scars.
As Arthur et al. (2013) noted, trauma is anything that overwhelms a person’s capacity to cope. In a healthcare setting, that can include:
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Being physically harmed or threatened
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Witnessing intense suffering or death
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Carrying the burden of overwhelming caseloads
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Operating under relentless pressure with little support
Trauma responses don’t stay in the background — they shape how providers show up, communicate, and make decisions. And when staff are suffering, patient safety is at risk.
Supporting Our Caregivers: A Patient Safety Imperative
By the Numbers
📈 46%
of health workers report feeling burned out often or very often
💼 44%
are considering leaving their job within a year
🛡 48%
of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries occur in healthcare
🚨 76%
of healthcare workers report experiencing violence on the job
💬 80%+
have faced verbal aggression from patients or visitors
👊 33%
have been physically assaulted while working
What This Means
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Burnout and turnover are climbing across all healthcare roles—not just nursing.
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Safety risks, violence, and harassment are common experiences for healthcare workers.
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These factors contribute to workforce shortages, financial strain, and increased patient safety risks.
A Call to Action: Build Systems That Heal Their Healers
Patient safety cannot be separated from provider well-being. To retain skilled professionals and deliver high-quality care, healthcare systems must:
Embrace trauma-informed care principles at all organizational levels
Invest in mental health support and recovery resources
Listen and respond to frontline staff concerns
Create cultures of psychological safety
Value retention as much as recruitment
When we care for those who care for others, we strengthen the safety of every patient they touch.
