Healthcare Workers Are Five Times More Likely to Face Workplace Violence

Hospitals are meant to heal, yet those who step through their doors for care can sometimes become threats to those who provide it. A Maryland emergency nurse, Lisa Fischer, described a sudden assault by a patient. She was punched in the face, knocked off a chair, trapped against a wall, and nearly struck with a chair before help arrived. This is not an isolated incident. According to Patient Safety Network, as of 2023 healthcare workers are five times more likely than peers in other industries to face workplace violence.

On top of these on-the-job dangers, healthcare professionals often work atypical hours. Nurses, medical assistants, and doctors arrive home when streets are dark, when parking lots and transit stops are fuel for vulnerability.

This is where Krav Maga becomes essential. It trains practitioners in real-world self-defense, focusing on instinctive movements, situational awareness, and decisive action under stress. It is more than exercise; it is purposeful fitness. Each drill reinforces strength and reflexes while teaching how to disengage or neutralize violent encounters both on the hospital floor and on the way home.

For healthcare workers, building physical resilience is only part of the value. Krav Maga cultivates mental composure when chaos erupts. The repetition of defensive techniques becomes muscle memory. The confidence that comes of knowing what to do in a moment of danger is itself a form of protection.

Caring for others is a duty born of compassion. Caring for oneself is not optional. Krav Maga offers both the skill and the strength to stay safe, no matter the shift or the setting.