Sarah Hunter started becoming agitated when there were delays in her receiving treatment when she was waiting in Darlington Memorial Hospital.
Teesside Crown Court heard how security recovered two knives from her before she continued being abusive and police were called.
Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said: “She was being very aggressive towards the nurse, security were called and she did eventually calm down.
“The nurse returned half and hour later when the defendant made threats towards her saying ‘I’m going to f****** kill you’. The threats were reported and she said she had a knife and again said ‘I’m going to f****** kill you’.
“She was searched by security and two small knives were removed from her. One witness saw her clenching something in her hand which she believed was a knife.”
Mr Dryden said police were then called and a locking flick knife was recovered from the defendant.
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Hunter, of Columbia Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and making threats to kill following her arrest on September 20 last year.
Shada Mellor, mitigating, said her client has longstanding mental health issues and is receiving ongoing treatment.
She said: “She had forgotten that she the knives on her and it is not accepted that she produced one but perhaps this (her behaviour) was borne out of her frustration.
“It is clearly not the appropriate way to act and she does deeply regret her actions.”
Judge Tom Mitchell sentenced Hunter to eight months in prison suspended for 21 months after she pleaded guilty to the offences.
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He said: “It would appear that you became very frustrated by what was going on there, you were frustrated by the reason of the fact that the hospital was busy.
“Well, if that’s the case, you will be frustrated by every hospital in the country because there are none that are not busy at the moment.”
He added: “You didn’t produce the knife in the course of threatening to kill the nurse. You threatened to kill her and that is a serious business that.”
Hunter was ordered to attend 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.