British Nurse Suspended For Offering To Pray For Elderly Patient

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09020307.html

By Thaddeus M. Baklinski

CANTERBURY, UK, February 3, 2009 
(LifeSIteNews.com) - Caroline Petrie, a nurse in 
Weston-super-Mare, 142 miles west of London, and 
a committed Christian, has been suspended and 
faces disciplinary action because she offered to 
pray for an elderly patient during a home visit.

Mrs. Petrie, who works for the North Somerset 
Primary Care Trust providing in-home care for the 
elderly, asked the patient if she would like a 
prayer said for her after she had changed the dressings on the woman's legs.

"It was around lunchtime and I had spent about 20 
to 25 minutes with her," the nurse said in a 
Telegraph report. "I had applied dressings to her 
legs and shortly before I left I said to her: 
'Would you like me to pray for you?'"

The patient declined the offer but later 
contacted the Trust about the incident.

Mrs. Petrie said in a BBC interview: "The woman 
mentioned it to the sister who did her dressing 
the following day. She said that she wasn't 
offended but was concerned that someone else might be.

"I was spoken to by my manager. She said 'I've 
got a letter in one hand and an incident form in 
the other. You won't be able to work until we've investigated this incident'."

"I simply couldn't believe that I have been 
suspended over this," she told the Telegraph. "I 
knew I hadn't done anything wrong. All I am 
trying to do is help my patients, many of whom want me to pray for them."

A statement by the North Somerset Primary Care 
Trust 
(<http://www.northsomerset.nhs.uk/default.asp>http://www.northsomerset.nhs.uk/default.asp)
 
said, "Caroline Petrie has been suspended pending 
an investigation into the matter.

"She is a bank nurse and has been told we will 
not be using her in this capacity until the 
outcome of our investigation is known.

"We are keenly aware of religious sensitivities 
and the importance of everyone’s individual 
spiritual belief – patients as well as staff," 
however, "The Nursing and Midwifery Council Code 
of Conduct makes it clear that nurses “must not 
use [their] professional status to promote causes 
that are not related to health.”

To express your concern or opinion please contact:

North Somerset Primary Care Trust
Waverley House
Old Church Road
Clevedon
North Somerset
BS21 6NN  UK
Phone: 01275 546770
Fax: 01275 546769
Email: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]


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