A MALE nurse had to be rushed to the emergency unit after being badly injured by a disabled patient who had no legs and only one arm.

Read more about the attack at the Northern Territory News.

It took two people, the nurses and a large security guard to tackle the angry patient and eventually restrain him. The male nurse suffered a serious knee injury and was offered counselling after the attack.

Royal Darwin Hospital confirmed that an incident had happened at one of the hospital wards on January 23. But hospital manager Liz Stackhouse refused to discuss further details of the assault.

"The matter was dealt with appropriately and the situation was quickly resolved," she said in a statement.

"Due to privacy regulations no other information can be released."

The NT News understands the 50-year-old patient assistant carer was trying to handle the disabled man when the man punched the carer repeatedly with his good arm and flailed his stumps angrily.

It is understood that the man will be off work for several weeks with his knee in a brace. Ms Stackhouse refused to say whether the staff member would be compensated over the incident.