The president of the B.C. Nurses鈥� 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, which 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 went into the secure care of the hospital since he required further medical and psychiatric care.

Adriane Gear, president of the B.C. Nurses鈥� Union, says it鈥檚 a 鈥渢errifying incident鈥� not only for the injured nursing student but also for other staff, and the employer is required to conduct an investigation into the incident.

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

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