Blacktown Hospital nurses have had a win in their battle for increased security but more needs to be done, according to the New South Wales Nurses’ Association.

Nurses have received 24-hour daily security at the ED and are calling for personal duress alarms and staff training in de-escalation and dealing with violent incidents.

The move comes after Blacktown Hospital nurse Edith Castro-Rivera, 48, was stabbed in the arms, back and chest by a 39-year-old male patient while she worked at her computer at about 2am on July 12.

It was the second attack on a nurse at the hospital in 10 months. In October last year a nurse working in the psychiatric emergency centre was also assaulted.

NSWNA general secretary Brett Holmes said negotiations with hospital management were still continuing.

“Our members had hoped for two security officers to be stationed in the ED. The hospital has agreed to one,” he said.

“Clearly the hospital has to take responsibility for its risk assessment but there needs to be a comprehensive response so that there’s proper duress alarms and they are responded to by both security and a duress response team from within the hospital as well.”

Mr Holmes said hospital management had conducted a review into the incident but more negotiations were needed.

“We will also be looking forward to some more discussion with the WorkCover authority about how they are going to deal with the incident,” he said.