Nurse suspended after offering to pray for patient’s recovery

A Baptist community nurse has been suspended after she offered to pray for the recovery of an elderly patient during a home visit.

Caroline Petrie, from Weston Super Mare, says she had offered to pray for the patient after applying dressings to her legs but the offer was refused and she did not push the matter any further, reports the BBC.

"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,” she was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Mrs Petrie, 45, was suspended without pay on 17 December following a complaint from the patient to the North Somerset Primary Care Trust.

"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',” she said.

The outcome of an investigation by North Somerset Primary Care Trust will be made known next week.

Mrs Petrie said she began asking patients if they wanted to be prayed for after the death of her mother.

"My faith got stronger and I realised God was doing amazing things in my life,” she was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I saw my patients suffering and as I believe in the power of prayer, I began asking them if they wanted me to pray for them. They are absolutely delighted."

A spokesman for North Somerset Primary Care Trust said it would “conscientiously” investigate the matter, adding, “We are always keen to be respectful of our patients’ views and sensitivity as well as those of our staff.”

Mrs Petrie has sought legal advice from the Christian Legal Centre, which has backed a number of legal claims of religious discrimination in recent months, including the suspension of a Christian radio presenter for defending the Christian faith on-air and the dismissal of a Christian relationships counsellor who expressed concerns over offering sex counselling to homosexual couples.