Prince of Wales Hospital nurse seriously injured in patient rampage
A man allegedly attacked three nurses, a police officer, a security guard and a visitor to the Prince of Wales Hospital on Saturday night.
The 51-year-old patient at Randwick hospital is alleged to have seriously injured a nurse’s leg at around 8.30pm, then attacked two other nurses and a security guard.
He also allegedly used a trash can to attack a 26-year-old woman who was trying to protect another patient.
Police, who were at the hospital regarding an unrelated matter, were alerted to the incident and attempted to speak to the man, but the man allegedly attacked one of the officers.
They subdued him with a stun gun, arrested him, and took him to a secure area of the facility.
While the nurse who was injured in the leg is still receiving treatment in the hospital, the other nurses who were allegedly attacked did not need further medical care.
Police are investigating the incident.
Many NSW hospitals have established dedicated mental health units within their emergency departments to reduce violence against staff.
A recent report from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association found 88 per cent of respondents had experienced violence in the previous year.
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