The victim of an assault at Vancouver General Hospital Thursday morning was a student nurse, according to the BC Nurses’ Union.

Vancouver police said they responded to the assault around 9 a.m. Officers arrived and found a person seriously injured, but not life-threatening.

Police said a suspect was arrested and although he was released, he remains in the hospital certified by the mental health unit. Health Act.

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BC Nurses’ Union president Adriane Gear said a knife was used in the attack and the victim suffered puncture wounds.

“I think yesterday’s incident at Vancouver General should serve as a wake-up call to health care employers that they need to do more, much more, to keep staff and, frankly, people safe. patients,” she said.

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“Because the working conditions of nurses are actually the conditions of patient care, and if nurses feel like they’re not safe in their workplace, that means they also don’t have the feeling that their patients are safe.

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Gear said the student nurse was “physically fine” but traumatized by the incident.

She added that if safety issues are not addressed for health-care workers, the province will achieve nothing in its quest to recruit and retain hospital staff.

The suspect is expected to appear in court at a later date.

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