Nurses Detail Machete Threats and Trauma in Lawsuit Against Fraser Health Over ER Violence

Two emergency room nurses are speaking out about violent attacks and retaliation at Eagle Ridge Hospital (ERH) in Port Moody, B.C., joining a growing list of health workers accusing Fraser Health Authority (FHA) of fostering an unsafe and toxic workplace.

The allegations are part of a lawsuit filed June 6 in B.C. Supreme Court by emergency physician Dr. Kaitlin Stockton, who claims deteriorating ER conditions have led to preventable deaths, violent assaults, and efforts to silence staff.

Machete Incident and Aftermath

Nurse Victoria Treacy, 37, was working a night shift in January 2025 when a man entered the ER wielding a machete and threatened staff. She says she helped evacuate patients and later spoke publicly to media about safety concerns.

Treacy claims she was then suspended and placed under investigation — an action she viewed as retaliation.

“I spent an entire weekend thinking my job and career were jeopardized,” she told CBC. “I just never thought that asking for help would impact me like this.”

Fraser Health denies suspending her or launching an investigation. But according to the lawsuit, the authority “initiated an investigation into the nurse and suspended her” after her media interviews.

Treacy was working through a travel nurse agency at the time and says she was never bound by a non-disclosure agreement.

Head Trauma and PTSD

Veteran nurse Arden Foley, with 46 years in the field, says she was kicked in the head by a patient during a November 2024 ER shift, suffering a dislocated jaw, concussion, and post-traumatic stress.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that,” Foley said. “It cost me my identity as a nurse — now it's over.”

She hasn’t returned to work and says her decision was reinforced after hearing from coworkers that violence and burnout have worsened.

Culture of Fear Alleged

The lawsuit claims multiple incidents of violence at ERH, including:

• A nurse strangled and later assaulted again, suffering broken ribs

• A doctor injured by a pit bull brought into the ER

• Management routinely ignoring or minimizing violent incidents

“These events are so common they are normalized,” the lawsuit states.

Fraser Health says it increased security at ERH in March 2025, enhanced training for staff, and provided counselling resources to affected employees.

Broader Trends

The B.C. Nurses’ Union says nurse injury claims have risen nearly 50% in the past eight years, from 29 per month in 2016 to 43 in 2024.

Treacy says the job has changed dramatically.

“None of us expected this kind of violence in our careers. But now it’s become normal — and it shouldn’t be.”

The health authority has declined to comment further, citing the ongoing legal proceedings.