A BOILERMAKER high on an acid trip when he punched a Gladstone nurse in the head is disgusted and ashamed of himself for the violence.

A remorseful Djan Goorawel Canendo, 20, was sentenced to six months jail which was fully suspended, after pleading guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to serious assault causing bodily harm to a public health officer at 1am on February 22.

Affected by his LSD trip, Canendo fell down house stairs and knocked himself out.

Paramedics took him to the emergency department at Gladstone Hospital.

However, as the male nurse treated a gash to Canendo's head requiring 10 stitches, Canendo inexplicably punched the health professional.

Prosecutor Sen Const Sam Pyke said the maximum penalty was 14 years under the legislation intended to protect such professionals, and argued that any starting point for sentence was a jail term.

He said the message had to be sent that such offenders would be sent to prison.

He said Canendo had used a clenched fist when he lashed out, striking the nurse.

Canendo was then restrained by police and sedated because of his erratic behaviour.

Sen Const Pyke said Canendo was high on LSD that night and taken to hospital for his own safety.

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He said there was no excuse for such unprovoked offences done while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

He said professionals like paramedics, nurses and police have a very important role in society and nurses, whose primary focus was nursing people back to health need the support and protection of the law.

Defence lawyer Kylie Devney said it had been Canendo's first experience with acid.

"He never did it before. His friends were doing it that night and curiosity got the better of him," she said.

"He was not aware of what was going on around him. When told what he did he was remorseful and disgusted.

"Any violence is extremely out of character."

Ms Devney said Canendo was in his fourth year of an apprenticeship as a boilermaker and lost his job as a result of publicity about his act.

Magistrate Mark Morrow said no significant injury was done to the nurse when punched in the face and jaw.

The nurse needed two days off work and no bones were broken.

He said while Canendo's behaviour was "bad and extremely poor", he did not necessarily argue that jail time was the starting point.

Mr Morrow suspended the six month jail term for 18 months.

Canendo was ordered to pay $500 compensation.