Public safety isn’t a privilege — it’s a basic right. It matters everywhere — for the retail worker behind the counter, the doctor or nurse treating a patient, the fan at a football game, and the executive walking to work.
Mike Shore
Senior Vice President of Enterprise, Axon
In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital staff have faced a troubling rise in violence, verbal abuse, and stress. Reports from the American Nurses Association and National Nurses United indicate that workplace violence against nurses has escalated at an alarming rate. These incidents can impact not only physical and mental well-being, but also the ability to deliver quality patient care.
Healthcare facilities have implemented a range of safety strategies, from panic buttons and de-escalation training to dedicated security personnel. These measures are vital, but emerging technologies now offer new ways to elevate security operations — enabling faster, more effective responses to protect both staff and patients alike.
Safety for every shift
Axon’s physical security ecosystem for healthcare features integrated technology and hardware designed to create safer places of care. Axon Fusus serves as the central nervous system of a hospital’s security operations center (SOC), integrating existing tools and extending to advanced technologies for threat detection and mitigation. Previously separate solutions, systems and workflows are now unified— leveraging current infrastructure while preparing for future needs.
Body-worn cameras can proactively safeguard patients and staff, giving frontline workers a visible deterrent that also adds an extra layer of protection by capturing real-time interactions and supporting incident response. Axon Body Workforce, designed for healthcare environments, is compact and easily wearable on uniforms or lanyards, and integrates seamlessly into both clinical and security workflows.
Beyond providing evidence during incidents, body-worn cameras can also streamline reporting through digital evidence management, including collaboration with law enforcement when needed. This simplifies OSHA compliance and helps resolve disputes quickly, creating transparency for healthcare and security teams.
A study by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation found that for hospitals deploying body-worn cameras, 78.3% used footage to settle disputes. Additionally, 95.7% of hospital security staff surveyed said the technology was worth the investment, citing benefits for staff, patients, and visitors.
With these advances come strict protocols for camera usage — ensuring compliance with privacy laws and informed consent. Healthcare staff also benefit from clear usage policies, typically activating devices only during safety incidents to communicate with security or document interactions when necessary. Automated redaction tools in secure digital evidence systems help meet HIPAA standards — protecting privacy while maintaining safety.
A commitment to care and safety
Addressing workplace violence in healthcare requires both traditional safeguards and modern technology. For more than three decades, Axon has led innovation in public safety — equipping customers with technology and training to help them protect life. As threats grow more complex, Axon’s mission remains clear: to provide organizations with the solutions they need to stay safe and protect others, whether in public spaces, workplaces, or healthcare facilities.
Click to learn more about Axon’s physical security solutions for healthcare
