B.C. RCMP say a man accused of assaulting a nurse at Langley Memorial Hospital has been released from custody pending a future court date.
Mounties said they were called to the hospital shortly after midnight on March 8 to deal with a man who allegedly assaulted a nurse and produced an “edged weapon” that nursing union officials have said was a knife.
BC Nurses’ Union president Adriane Gear said the nurse was treating a patient when the incident happened.
“That patient and another patient, there was an altercation and there was a weapon involved,” she said.
“The nurse tried to grab the knife and was injured — wasn’t stabbed, but was hit, was assaulted by one of the patients.”
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Police arrested a 37-year-old Surrey man at the scene.
“It’s deeply concerning, not only for the community but also for hospital staff who are simply doing their best to provide health care to everyone,” Langley RCMP Sgt. Zynal Sharoom said.
Gear said the assault is another example of the violence nurses are subjected to on the job She said the union records an estimated 46 serious assaults per month involving it members.
Gear said the healthcare system needs to do better at sharing information about patients with histories of violence and at keeping weapons out of hospitals and care settings.
Anyone with information about the assault is asked to contact Langley RCMP.
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