Every Hospital Should Pay Attention to What Happened at UPMC Altoona

A patient care technician at UPMC Altoona was violently attacked in the emergency department on November 1st, sending shockwaves through the hospital and the broader community. The employee was flown to Pittsburgh for emergency surgery after suffering a fractured skull and brain bleed.

Jamie Balsamo, an emergency department nurse at UPMC Altoona, described the attack on her coworker to WPXI as “heartbreaking” and “traumatic,” with a statement from UPMC noting that the patient involved was “in crisis.” Balsamo told WPXI that the event “could happen to any one of us on any given day.”

This incident should prompt us to reflect—not to assign blame, but to recognize a troubling reality that care teams everywhere encounter. These encounters can create stressful and chaotic environments that are not conducive to healing or delivering focused, high-quality care, highlighting how closely intertwined patient safety and staff safety truly are. As painful and frightening as these situations can be, we must challenge ourselves to examine them closely and critically. We need to understand how to balance staff safety and peace of mind while ensuring that every person who seeks help is treated with empathy, dignity, and understanding—even during their most difficult moments.

Violence in Healthcare: The Broader Reality

What happened in Altoona isn’t an isolated event. Violence against healthcare workers is on the rise across Pennsylvania and nationwide. WPXI conducted an investigation earlier this year, finding that 93% of healthcare workers in the state say they feel afraid at work, and 64% reported experiencing at least one incident of physical violence in the past year. The issue is not exclusive to Pennsylvania, however, with the American Hospital Association finding that up to 76% of U.S. healthcare workers have reported experiencing violence on the job.

For hospital leaders in areas that rarely see such incidents, it’s easy to assume, “That won’t happen here.” But the data tells a different story. Workplace violence in healthcare is a widespread issue impacting a majority of the healthcare workforce.

Understanding What’s Really Happening – and Why Every Hospital Should Prepare

Most violent outbursts in hospitals don’t stem from malice. They happen when someone is in crisis: in pain, confused, under the influence of medication, or experiencing a mental health episode. Even facilities with low patient volumes or calm local communities aren’t immune. An anxious relative demanding updates, a disoriented patient pulling at lines, or a medication reaction can turn unpredictable in seconds.

Today’s healthcare environment adds pressure: record patient volumes, staffing shortages, long wait times, and distressed families can heighten emotional volatility. For leaders, the lesson isn’t fear; it’s readiness and compassion under pressure. Safety planning is part of patient care, not separate from it. Even a single incident can leave lasting physical, emotional, and reputational consequences for a hospital and its people.

Prepared, supported teams can recognize early warning signs, de-escalate safely, and protect everyone involved. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that hospital units with dedicated violence-prevention programs saw markedly fewer incidents and injuries among staff (Arnetz et al.).

What Preparedness Looks Like

Hospitals with strong safety cultures tend to share a few key traits:

• Clear, stigma-free ways to report incidents so staff can speak up easily.
• Ongoing de-escalation and trauma-informed care training that builds confidence and skill.
• Rapid, discreet alert systems – such as multiple, unique duress solutions that match each role’s needs – that let staff quickly call for help.

These measures don’t just prevent injuries. They reduce arrests and restraint use, protect patient dignity during crises, and reinforce a culture of calm and respect in high-stress moments. The outcome is simple but powerful: safer teams, safer patients, stronger hospitals.

Turning Awareness Into Leadership Action

Seeing tragic incidents in the news cycle should prompt every hospital to take stock.

• When was your last safety drill?
• Do staff know exactly how to signal for help?
• Are response times tracked and reviewed?

Pennsylvania lawmakers are now considering House Bill 926, which aims to establish workplace violence prevention committees – a reflection of growing accountability in healthcare safety. But real progress starts inside each organization. Leaders don’t need to wait for legislation to start the conversation. Every investment in staff safety is an investment in clinical quality, retention, and patient outcomes.

Honoring Care Through Preparedness

The community’s response to what happened at UPMC Altoona – colleagues donating, rallying, and checking in – shows the heart of healthcare: people who care deeply for one another.

Every hospital hopes a tragedy like this will never happen within its walls. Ensuring your teams are prepared now is one of the most meaningful ways to honor both your staff and your patients – and to uphold the culture of care your organization stands for.

To support Travis Dunn’s recovery, visit his verified GoFundMe page here.

(911Cellular is not affiliated with or responsible for the GoFundMe campaign; link provided for informational purposes.)

Tags: “hospital violence” “healthcare safety” “hospital violence”