Praying for Patient May Cost Nurse Her Job

Caroline Petrie is a nurse who carry out home visits to sick and elderly patients. One day, she offered to pray for the recovery of a sick woman ... and now she may lose her job because of it!

Mrs Petrie, 45, is a community nurse employed by North Somerset Primary Care Trust to carry out home visits to sick and elderly patients.

The incident which led to her suspension took place at the home of a woman patient in Winscombe, North Somerset. "It was around lunchtime and I had spent about 20 to 25 minutes with her. I had applied dressings to her legs and shortly before I left I said to her: 'Would you like me to pray for you?'.

"She said 'No, thank you.' And I said: 'OK.' I only offered to pray for her because I was concerned about her welfare and wanted her to get better."

However, after the incident on December 15, she was contacted by the trust and asked to explain her actions.

Andrew Alderson of The Daily Telegraph has the story: Link


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transpersonal communication,seeking help and guidance to god,a way to be used by a nurse when caring for someone..but it doesnt mean that u have to impose this to the patient...but in her case, i think theres nothing wrong with it..she just offered a prayer...if the patient doesnt want it,then its fine...
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Dave, you either haven't read the previous posts or didn't understand them or chose to ignore the arguments put forth.

I see from your blog that you're Christian. How, then, can you not see that offering prayer is the same as announcing that you have religious views? You have the right to believe whatever you want but no-one has the right (particularly in a professional setting where the rules are clear and you've been complained about before) to bring religion up where it's not appropriate and may not be wanted. No-one cares that she is Baptist, they care that she has repeatedly engaged in religious activities - or offered such - and that could be offensive to patients. Remember, it's not about her views on the matter, it's about her patients.

If you can't see the potential "harm or foul" in her actions then you are intolerant and insular in your thinking. Atheists may not be in the majority, but we have rights too.
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Wow; so many thin-skinned people here. What harm or foul is brought by asking if she can pray for her patient?

And asking to pray for a patient is a far cry from pushing her religion on her patient.
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