Nurse defends her 'power of prayer'
The community nurse suspended from her job after she offered to say a prayer for an elderly patient has spoken out over the row.
Devout Christian Caroline Petrie, 45, is being reprimanded by North Somerset Primary Care Trust.
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The trust claims she broke a "personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity"' and faces disciplinary action after she offered to say a prayer for a patient.
Mrs Petrie, a mother-of-two from Weston-super-Mare, who goes to Milton Baptist Church, said she was shocked and upset by the action taken against her.
She says she has never forced her own religious beliefs on anyone but politely asked if the elderly patient would like her to pray for her.
Mrs Petrie told the Bristol Post: "I visited this lady to do a dressing and before I left I asked if she would like me to pray for her. She said: 'no, thank you'.
"I didn't upset her and she wasn't offended.
"She mentioned it to a nursing sister the following day and it escalated from there.
"I saw the elderly patient on December 15 and by the evening of December 17 I was suspended.
"I was in complete shock."
Mrs Petrie said she loves her job which involves visiting patients in their own homes.
She said many patients appreciate her kind thoughts regardless of their religious beliefs.
She said: "I believe in the power of prayer. I ask patients if I can pray for them. I feel it's important if that is what they want.
"Most people say yes."
Mrs Petrie had to attend a meeting with an investigations officer. She has not been told how long she will remain suspended.
Last week she attend a disciplinary panel hearing, and is this week waiting to hear the result.
And last year she was asked to attend an equality and diversity course after an earlier incident in Clevedon in October when she gave a small, home-made prayer card to an elderly male patient.
The man accepted the card but a carer who was with him raised concerns with the PCT.
Alison Withers, Mrs Petrie's boss at the time, wrote to her, saying: "As a nurse you are required to uphold the reputation of your profession.
"Your NMC [Nursing Midwifery Council] code states that ''you must demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to equality and diversity' and 'you must not use your professional status to promote causes that are not related to health'."
Mrs Petrie, who became a committed Christian at the age of ten after her mother died of breast cancer, said: "So many different people are praying for me now.
"I have peace because my faith is strong."
A spokesperson for North Somerset Primary Care Trust said: "Caroline Petrie has been suspended pending an investigation into the matter.
"She is a bank nurse and she has been told we will not be using her in this capacity until the outcome of our investigation is known.
"'We always take any concerns raised by our patients most seriously and conscientiously investigate any matter of this nature brought to our attention.
"We are always keen to be respectful of our patients' views and sensitivity as well as those of our staff."
The Christian Legal Centre, which seeks to promote religious freedom and to protect Christians and Christianity, has taken up Mrs Petrie's case.
The centre has instructed the leading religious rights barrister Paul Diamond.
Andrea Williams, the founder and director of the Christian Legal Centre centre said: "'We are backing this case all the way."
"There were lots of prayers being said in church for me today. Everyone's been really supportive and sending me lots of text messages.
"'The pastor has put me on the prayer chain, asking people to pray for me in their homes.
"'I'm just waiting now and hoping for the best. Being a nurse is such a rewarding job and I would hate to lose my current position which works well around bringing up my family."
Her husband Stewart, 48, a telecommunications engineer said: "It all just got completely out of hand. I can't help feeling this could easily have been resolved by common sense."
137 Comments
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by babatunde rufai, bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 4:35PM
“A nurse is a highly trained and skilled professional who cares for the sick and infirm. A nurse helps to educate patients in issues of healthy living and wellness as well as any current or chronic disease process and treatment. Wellness includes physical,mental, emotional and spiritual welbeing. if this definition is anything to go by..then caroline has done nothing wrong...she has not infringed on anyone's right ..to me, she has demonstrated initiative in going the extra mile in ensuring her patient get help. Don't know why people like caroline shouldn't be celebrated ,instead we chose to celebrate drug addicts in the entertainment world.”
by Franlea, Bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 1:17PM
“This is gone all to far and I dont understand the big deal. We have to remember we are in england and people need to appreciate our beliefs etcas well as others (as long as its not pushed on them) otherwise go, dont try to change a country, which I cant help but think is happening ie xmas events being cancelled etc. This woman never said a prayer without permission she never through her beliefs at a person she just offered a kind word and excepted the answer. I am english and DONOT kick up a fuss when I see religous faiths handing out there flyers or turning up at my door or when I see muslims etc doing there parades etc down the street, so if this is aloud why on earth r we kicking up such a fuss about 1 question.
Reread and noticed I wrote a few things round the wrong way lol.
Im not writing what I did to be racist but how on earth is ANY religion supposed to get new members etc unless they ask certain things. At the end of the day as long as people donot force things on people and except the word no then whats the problem.”
by Franlea, Bristol
Tuesday, February 10 2009, 1:06PM
“This is gone all to far and I dont understand the big deal. We have to remeber we are in england and people need to appreciate or beliefs etc(as long as its not pushed on them) otherwise go dont try to change a country. This woman never said a prayer without permission she never throw her beliefs at a person she just offered a kind word and excepted the answer. I am english and DONOT kisk up a fuss when I see religous faiths handing out there flyers or turning up at my door or when I see muslims etc doing there perades down the street, so if this is aloud why on earth r we kicking up such a fuss about 1 question.”
by Graham, Spain
Friday, February 06 2009, 3:04PM
“Seems to me that Shonegar is taking up a lot of time to think up and write these messages. I hope its not time that should be spent working for his/her employers. However if the employer is the NHS then thats alright. Sciving off is still a time honoured benefit for public servants in the UK.”
by Mike, Bristol
Thursday, February 05 2009, 8:24PM
“I'm glad to hear the news today that this nurse has returned to work, without any form of punisment. Thank goodness for common sense and even more thanks that some of the people who post here have no influance over such things apart from their comments.”