There’s a classic maxim that says, “It is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” Learning martial arts is one such endeavor you never know you’ll need it until you do. For Brisbane emergency room nurse Daniel Nelson, however, his training in mixed martial arts proved invaluable during an overnight shift when an intoxicated patient suddenly turned aggressive.

On July 29, registered nurse and Australian Army veteran Daniel Nelson uploaded CCTV footage of an incident that took place in October 2024 at approximately 2 a.m. inside the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Queensland, where an intoxicated, violent patient attacked Nelson in a blind spot. The footage shows the intoxicated patient confronting the healthcare worker as he was being escorted out of the hospital. The clip then shows the unruly patient throwing an object at Nelson before attempting to land several punches at his face.

Instead of responding with strikes, Nelson relied on the Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills he had spent a decade developing. Calmly avoiding the attacks, he took the patient to the ground with relative ease and restrained him until hospital security arrived and took the man away. The clip has since its upload gone viral on the internet, garnering millions of views, and outlets such as Fox have also posted the viral clip on its Instagram handle.

According to The State Times, the patient had allegedly been verbally abusing hospital staff before the confrontation escalated into violence. Once security reached the scene, Daniel Nelson even volunteered to help escort the man out of the hospital.

Looking back on the incident, Nelson joked that the confrontation unfolded very differently from what the patient likely expected.

“In a stroke of genius, he decided he wanted a cuddle,” Nelson said. “Safe to say, it didn’t work out the way he expected.”

Though Nelson jokingly recounted the story behind his now-viral confrontation, he also highlighted the far more serious issue of healthcare professionals facing violence in the workplace.

“This is what many people never see: violence against healthcare workers isn’t just part of the job,” Nelson stated. “It’s unacceptable, and alcohol is no excuse. To all my colleagues who continue to show up despite this sort of behaviour: I see you, and I appreciate what you do every day.”

Nelson’s concern is definitely valid here. According to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), between 8 and 38 percent of healthcare professionals experience some form of physical violence during their careers. In such situations, knowing how to protect oneself becomes an even greater priority, particularly when dealing with patients who have violent tendencies.

Alongside Daniel Nelson, another healthcare worker also understood that reality and relied on martial arts to protect herself from a serious criminal act. 

Female medical intern uses Muay Thai to stop an assaulter  

22-year-old Petcharaporn Phadungjai was working as a medical intern in Thailand when she found herself in a terrifying situation. During one of her shifts, Phadungjai went to order food at a restaurant near her hospital, where she encountered a man who she revealed was intoxicated.  

She revealed that the man offered to deliver her food because he was about to start his shift. After asking her to pay by scanning a QR code, he audaciously grabbed her from behind. 

“When he arrived, he told me to scan the QR code to pay for the food,” Petcharaporn told Fox. “I placed the phone on the desk, and that’s when he grabbed me from behind.” 

The male nursing assistant reportedly attempted to assault her. However, Phadungjai’s grandfather had taught her the fundamentals of Muay Thai, which helped her escape the frightening encounter. After scratching his face, the Thai healthcare worker twisted the man’s arm and landed several powerful knees to his body, forcing him to release his grip. The confrontation was captured in a 31-second video that was later released. 

Reflecting on the incident, she said it was her instinctive use of martial arts that saved her.

“I have been doing Muay Thai boxing since I was a kid,” Petcharaporn Phadungjai said. “I know how to kick, knee, and punch someone. I know how to wrestle with them. It was my instinctive reaction to protect myself. I’m lucky my grandfather taught me self-defense skills when I was a young girl. Those lessons saved my life.”

These incidents once again demonstrate that, regardless of gender, learning martial arts and knowing how to defend yourself can make a tremendous difference when faced with dangerous situations.