I'm a Christian and most religious people scare me.

Actually this is really prevalent in the US. As a 25 year veteran of the U.S. medical system, I've see caregivers offer prayer thousands of times. I've see them do prayers without permission as well.

Personally, I find it incredibly offensive for any healthcare provider to bring their religion into the hospital or medical office. They can pray silently or when the PATIENT asked but that's about it.

As far as punishment... If the patient didn't ask for it, then the caregiver should not offer and should be held accountable if they do. The last thing a sick patient needs is more stress having to tell a clinician no thanks. This then creates an awkward patient-clinician relationship.

Additionally, look at the legality of this as well. It's about the "what ifs". What if a patient rebuffed an offer of prayer of an overly religious clinician? Would that clinician treat the patient differently after this? If a patient declines a clinician offer of prayer/insight then anything negative that happens to the patient a second after this confrontation can be taken as retaliation. It really puts the facility in a VERY vulnerable situaton for litigation AND puts the clinician in a position of having to defend themselves from criminal wrong-doing, charges.

I have also seen religious clincians treat outwardly religious patients much better than thier other patients. I've seen this many many times. It's disgusting.

Let me say again that from many years experienced with this, I was offended EVERY time a clinician did this to a patient without the patient asking.

I'm so sick of religious people have this superior attitude and trying to convert every person they see. In my personal experience, some of the worst people I know are the overly religious people, in the hospital and out.

Gabby

--------------- Added [DATE]1233717829[/DATE] at [TIME]1233717829[/TIME] ---------------

Kevin you're not in medicine are you? LOL ;)

seems she was warned before being suspended for offering prayers... if you are warned then you should know if you keep doing it may be bad... but being offended by someone who offered to pray for you... anyway I wasn't there to see the whole picture

Ok, but would it offend you if she did?
That's insane...

Oh and if you'd go to the dentist here, you would pray for everything to go smooth too.
I know, i would.

No, It wouldn't offend me. If she asked to say I prayer for me I would ask her not to. If she prayed for my well being without asking me, well, I don't know what I would say. Probably nothing, firstly because I wouldn't want her to loose her job on the off chance another colleague would hear about this. Secondly, because her intentions were good in the first place.

There's nothing insane about what I wrote. Unless your calling me insane to which I'll probably agree with you.

To me, prayer offerings (no mater what religion, from a Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc) is the greatest form of sincerity and kindness. I dont think anyone should be punished for offering one. If you dont believe, what harm is it doing to you?

IS there some valid phobia to prayer that I'm not aware of? LOL

Odd :rolleyes: I'm not even close to religious and I'm as missionary on the Brazilian jungle :D

but for me a pray equals a 'Good morning'+'Bonjour'+'Bom Dia'

haha you too? Maybe we should start our own denomination then? It works for everyone else. haha

If I was a religious nurse and I offered to pray for someone but they said don't. I'd pray anyway, but I'd pray for them to die :D Just kidding.

What I'm really hating about Britain at the moment is the way alot of things are blown way out of proportion. It won't be long before everyone is afraid to do anything if this continues.

The nurse is getting a raw deal and I really hope that her supervisor gets some help learning/developing on how to deal with people. Because if anybody is out of line it's her. This situation could of been dealt with so easily.
On the same side of the coin...I'm glad to see there are still people out there that believe in more than just what's in their wallets or the missile protecting their borders.