Nurse stabbed multiple times in Southbridge hospital

A Southbridge nurse is in critical but stable condition after being stabbed by a patient Wednesday morning.

A nurse at Harrington Hospital in Southbridge was treating Connor Oregan, 24, of Southbridge, in the emergency room around 10:15 a.m. when Oregan slashed at her multiple times with a knife before fleeing the hospital, according to the Worcester district attorney’s office.

The nurse was stabilized in the emergency room before being flown to UMass Memorial Medical Center for further treatment, the district attorney’s office said.

She underwent surgery and remains in critical but stable condition, the district attorney’s office said.

Oregan was arrested on Main Street shortly after the stabbing.

“I’d like to thank the emergency room personnel for their quick response and the way they reacted to save the victim’s life,” Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said.

“It was a job made even more difficult due to the fact that they were working on their friend,” he added.

Oregan is scheduled to be arraigned at the Dudley District Court on Thursday and faces charges of aggravated assault and battery with a weapon and assault with intent to murder, the district attorney’s office said.

Prosecutors intend to move for a dangerousness hearing as well as a mental health evaluation during the arraignment, the district attorney’s office said.

The emergency room remains closed, but all other parts of the hospital are operating normally, the hospital said in a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our employee and her family at this time,” the hospital said.