Nursing students on placement left terrified after incident at Palmerston North Hospital

From carrying surgical scissor through the carpark, to begging for free parking so they don’t have to go outside the hospital grounds, Palmy Nursing students on placement have been scared ever since an incident with a gun in April. Jaanvi Naidu investigates.  

 “They never caught the guy, and he might just come back”.  

These fears come from Emily Martin, a second-year Nursing student, as well as so many of her peers.  

In April, a nurse was held at gunpoint outside Palmerston North Hospital car park, one of three violent events the same night. Another staff member was knocked unconscious, and police were called to the emergency department after threats were made against workers. Unions have since described physical and verbal abuse of the hospital staff as “routine”. 

Martin learned about the gunpoint incident via email from the Nursing school. She said for a short time security guards walked staff to their cars, but this had stopped.  

The experience left her anxious enough to carry surgical scissors for security.  

“There are a lot of nurses walking with their scissors and I picked that habit up. I always keep mine in my pocket.” 

For Nursing students on placement, the attack confirmed a danger many were already worried about. With many students parking outside the hospital to save money, they fear that if it can happen in the car park, it’s even more likely to happen outside.  

The main hospital car park costs $8 a shift, times that by five and that quickly adds up to $40 a week just for parking. Martin felt this cost put students at risk, “We are cheap so we’re going to park off grounds. Keep the guards outside.” 

Many continue to push for affordable parking, night shift reductions and more practical preparation to help them feel safe on placement.  

Tristan Crate, a second-year Nursing student who was present on the night of the incident. “After the incident, parking was made free for one day and two more security guards were brought to escort staff to their cars. That was pretty much their solution.”  

Crate described aggression as a familiar part of placements, seeing staff being talked down to “like they were stupid”.  

Fear lingers mostly in mental health placements, with confused patients. “In mental health it’s different because some patients might walk up behind you or touch you unexpectedly.” 

During training, Crate said students are taught to de-escalate situations and leave the area.  

He believed parking should be the priority for improving safety, saying Massey could provide parking grants or free tickets to take pressure off students.  

“Staff at the hospital pay for parking too, but they get subsidised rates, and students should get that too.” 

In response to the concerns raised, Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) said it had taken several steps to improve security. 

Sarah Fenwick, group director of operations at Mid Central Health New Zealand, said the organisation is committed to supporting staff and students' safety.  

“Improvements to security is a continuous process,” Fenwick said, encouraging anyone with concerns to reach out to management directly. 

Since the attack, she said measures taken include opening staff car parks to afternoon and night shift workers, increasing the number of security guards available to escort staff, auditing lighting in outdoor areas, and improving communication about safety updates.  

Alex Betts was about to begin placement when the attack happened close to where she would be working. “It definitely amplified my anxiety,” she said. “I couldn't get out of it anyway. I had to do it.”  

Betts said the experience significantly affected her mental health, describing the pressures of working in such an environment.  

“I was expected to remain polite, professional and composed at all times, regardless of how people behaved or what they had done.”  

She believed students need more preparation for dodgy situations: “The hospital and Massey should expect that we know nothing. We are like 18, 19, 20 with no life experience and they need to prepare us more for what we’ll face.” 

Curtis Shackell, another second-year student, said the incident changed habits for many. Many students now walk in groups or call someone while leaving the hospital at night. 

Shackell said, “My partner, who is also in Nursing, asked me to call her after every late shift. I stayed on the line until she was inside.”  

When it comes to Massey, Shackell there's no specific training on handling aggression, apart from videos on restraints. Students said their training focuses on avoiding confrontation, leaving them unsure of what to do when situations escalate. 

Shackell emphasised the need for better education on risks, “Most students are young and think they're bulletproof. They need to be shown that danger is real, so they aren't blindsided.” 

Despite the risks, their commitment to Nursing hasn't wavered. Martin summed it up: “One bad person is like fifty good people that want to get home feeling better.” 

Massey’s clinical placement coordinator was approached for a response, however, did not provide one.