Police charge female patient over assault of nurse in Brisbane hospital

A woman will face court accused of assaulting a nurse at a Brisbane hospital.

Police say the 62-year-old nurse was assaulted by a female patient in a ward at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital on Saturday.

A 44-year-old woman will face the Brisbane Magistrates Court next month on one count each of serious assault of a public officer performing function causing bodily harm, wilful damage and possession of a knife in a public place.

The alleged assault is one of a record number of recent attacks on Queensland nurses.

9NEWS understands there has been 227 assaults on staff in the Metro North Health area, including the Royal Brisbane and Women's, Caboolture and Redcliffe hospitals, in the first three months of this year.

That figure is up from 199 at the same time last year.

Across the Metro North area security guards are now wearing body cameras to film aggressive patients in the act and extra guards will be employed as a priority.

Reporting assaults will also become easier with a planned paperless swipe card system.