This white paper outlines the dire reality of violence against nurses and health care workers in Canada. The paper details the known data on violence against nurses – from workers’ compensation claims to shocking survey data. The paper highlights the need to enforce existing laws and shares leading practices from across Canada. Recommendations to address violence in health care workplaces include investing in prevention and training, mandating safe staffing practices, upgrading necessary infrastructure to protect workers, and establishing a national standard for violence prevention in health care.
This white paper was presented to federal, provincial and territorial health ministers at a meeting with the CFNU during the Health Ministers’ meetings in October 2025.
