Violence and threats against nurses are not part of the job!

United Nurses of Alberta is deeply concerned about threats and acts of violence against nurses and health care workers at hospitals and health care centres across Alberta. Violence and threats against nurses are never acceptable.

Effective public health care depends on safe and skilled health care workers, and nurses’ ability to deliver care is impacted when faced with volatile situations.

In many cases, these dangerous situations faced by nurses and their health care co-workers could be avoided by building the needed capacity in the health care system. That means more community care, more staff on units, and more beds that will improve patient care for Albertans and relieve the stress on emergency rooms and overcrowded hospitals and long-term care centres.

Employers are required to provide safe workplaces for employees and to educate all employees about how to report health and safety problems they experience or see developing, including the potential for workplace violence.

Everyone has the right to a safe and respectful workplace free from violence. Unfortunately, physical and verbal abuse targeted at workers are regular occurrences in health care settings.

Nurse unions call on health ministers to take real action

Four in 10 Alberta nurses reported experiencing physical violence and six in ten reported experiencing non-physical violence at their workplace, according to UNA’s annual membership survey conducted in 2025.

That’s why UNA continues to call on the provincial government and employers to take serious action to stop violence against nurses and health care workers. UNA representatives and leaders from other provincial nurses unions met with provincial health ministers, including Alberta health ministers Adriana LaGrange and Matt Jones, in October 2025 to implore them to use every tool at their disposal to eradicate violence against health care workers, including:  

• Investing in training and prevention programs for workers and designated in-house security personnel
• Mandated minimum nurse-patient ratios to reduce risks of violence exacerbated by excessive workloads
• Enforcement of the Criminal Code and occupational health and safety legislation to punish and deter violence, including penalties for negligent employers
• Installing violence prevention infrastructure, such as weapons detection systems, surveillance cameras and personal alarms for workers.

Read the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions full report: Violence against Nurses in Canada: An Urgent Call to Action

Contacting Protective Services, local police or RCMP

Any nurse or health care worker facing an immediate hazard that puts them at risk of death or serious physical harm should immediately contact their onsite Protective Services. After contacting Protective Services, call the local police department or RCMP. Nurses should report the incident to the police.

Nurses are being asked to contact Protective Services even if the local police have already been called to ensure that Protective Services attends the site and, where necessary, remains present if local police leave the scene. Please inform your UNA Occupational Health and Safety Advisor of the situation.

When a threat occurs, don't forget, you can ask Protective Services for a safe walk to your vehicle.

Nurses not employed by a provincial health agency, organization or corporation should contact their employer’s security services and then contact the local police or RCMP.

Reporting incidents of violence

Part 27 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code states that an employer must develop and implement a violence and harassment prevention plan that includes measures to eliminate or control hazards of violence and harassment to workers. The Code also requires employers to create procedures to report and investigate complaints and incidents of violence or harassment.

Reporting incidents violence, injuries, and near misses is important. These types of violent incidents are believed to be grossly underreported by nurses working in Alberta’s health care system. 

For employers to be held accountable for hazards, they must be aware of concerns and incidents. Alberta OHS legislation obligates workers to report concerns and incidents to their employer. This should be done through your workplace incident reporting system, such as MySafetyNet (MSN), and members can request the complete report that includes identified corrective actions.

UNA members are also encouraged to complete the UNA OHS Form to keep your union, local and Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee in the loop about problems and able to develop recommendations for resolution.

Nurses with questions or concerns about threats of violence in their workplace can contact a UNA Labour Relations Officer or Occupational Health & Safety Advisor at 1-800-252-9394 or nurses@una.ca.