It goes without saying that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most effective tools for neutralising aggressive opponents…
And that the people working in the world of healthcare would benefit from learning it a lot as well – especially those who deal with patients who might be dangerous to themselves and to the environment.
Which is what Daniel Nelson, a registered nurse, experienced firsthand.
He shared the details about the assault in a Facebook post:
While working as a Registered Nurse in the RBWH Emergency Department in Oct 2024 at 2am, I was a victim of assault by an intoxicated patient in an area where there were no visibility from staff or security.He’d been spitting on the floor, abusing staff and generally behaving like an absolute grub.
Was asked to leave, I opted to escort him out and grab a cheeky coffee from the Coffee Van parked out front whilst I was out there.In a stroke of genius he decided he wanted a cuddle.
But what the man didn’t expect was that Nelson had been training BJJ for over 10 years.
However, despite dealing with the threat without much effort, he raised concern for those working in the field:
However, despite dealing with the threat without much effort, he raised concern for those working in the field:
I laughed about it then and now because I was able to defend myself. But that’s not the point.
What if he’d picked a nurse half my size? A new graduate? A student? Someone who simply couldn’t defend themselves?Violence against healthcare workers isn’t “just part of the job.” It’s unacceptable.
Alcohol is no excuse.