Photo: The Canadian Press

The president of the BC Nurses’ Union says a student nurse was attacked with a knife at Vancouver General Hospital, which was her first clinical experience. An ambulance drives past the emergency entrance of Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, BC, Friday, April 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

The president of the BC Nurses’ Union says a student nurse was attacked with a knife during her first clinical experience at Vancouver General Hospital on Thursday.

The Vancouver Police Department says officers responded to the scene around 9 a.m. following reports of an assault inside the hospital that left the 37-year-old victim with non-life threatening injuries.

Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison says a 48-year-old man, who was a patient at the hospital, was arrested.

Addison says the suspect was later released from custody and entered the hospital’s secure care as he required additional medical and psychiatric care.

Adriane Gear, president of the BC Nurses Union, says it’s a “terrifying incident” not only for the injured nursing student, but for other staff as well, and the employer is required to conduct an investigation into the incident.

Vancouver Coastal Health says the health worker is now recovering at home.

Addison says police will send a report to Crown counsel to recommend charges.