Nurses and patient injured in alleged scissor attack at Sydney hospital
Sydney AU May 7 2019
Four people, including three nurses have been injured after a female patient allegedly wrested scissors from one worker at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred hospital.
A nurse caring for the patient before 8.30pm on Saturday called for help when the woman became agitated, police said.
It is alleged the patient grabbed hold of the nurse and took her scissors from her before stabbing her twice in the back once she had fallen to the ground. Two other nurses came to her aid and sustained minor injuries.
The 29-year-old patient then entered a neighbouring room where she allegedly assaulted another patient, aged 75, stabbing her in the face.
The woman was finally restrained by hospital security and other medical staff and sedated.
The injured nurses were treated at the hospital and have been able to go home, according to the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association.
General secretary of the nurses union, Brett Holmes, has called for a full investigation into the violent incident, which he described as disturbing.
“This is a terrible situation where three nursing staff have been injured during the course of their work, let alone the other elderly patient who has also suffered injuries,” Holmes said.
“It’s unfortunate that violent incidents of this nature continue to occur in our hospital settings.”
The alleged attacker was receiving treatment under police guard in hospital on Sunday morning as inquiries continued.
Sydney Local Health District has been contacted for comment.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said she was relieved to hear the victims were recovering.
“I was really concerned to hear about those early reports,” Berejiklian told reporters.
Berejiklian said her health minister, Brad Hazzard, had recently launched a major investigation into the security at hospitals.
“Of course the government will adopt any further recommendations we need to,” Berejiklian said.
