ORANGE, Australia, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A male nurse died after being stabbed by a patient Wednesday at a mental health hospital in Orange, New South Wales, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
The 62-year-old nurse was stabbed in the chest and arms by a 33-year-old patient at Bloomfield Hospital.
He died early Thursday in a Sydney hospital where he had been airlifted following the attack.
A 20-year-old female nurse also was injured in the incident and is at Orange Base Hospital in stable condition.
Canobolas Area Commander Superintendent David Driver told the ABC the patient is expected to be charged today.
"Security and other staff went to the assistance of the nurses and the gentleman was escorted to a secure part of the hospital," Driver said.
"First aid was administered to the staff members, police arrived and spoke briefly with the person who was given some further treatment at the facility and he was arrested this morning."
Linda Griffith of the Nurses Association, the union representing nursing staff at the hospital, said the hospital is organizing counseling for the staff.
"It's a terrible shock for the staff and staff will lose their confidence in caring for the mentally ill when something like this happens," Griffith said.
"So it's vital and very important that they are provided with all the support they need to continue caring for the patients at Bloomfield because this is a very rare occurrence."
