Jiu-Jitsu Nurse's Viral Takedown of Violent Patient Sparks Warning Over Rising Violence in Healthcare

CCTV footage captures Brisbane nurse Daniel Nelson restraining an aggressive patient outside the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital using Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques. Nelson says he released the video to raise awareness about the growing problem of violence against healthcare workers. (Credit: SCREENGRAB FROM DANIEL NELSON/FACEBOOK)

A Brisbane nurse has gone viral after CCTV footage captured him using his jiu-jitsu training to restrain an aggressive patient outside a hospital emergency department, with the incident drawing renewed attention to the growing problem of violence against healthcare workers.

Daniel Nelson, a registered nurse at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, said he decided to release the footage not to showcase his martial arts skills but to highlight the dangers faced by frontline medical staff every day. The incident, which occurred in October 2024, has reignited conversations about workplace safety in hospitals after the video spread widely across social media.