A Nigerian nurse, whose identity remains undisclosed, has reportedly faced dismissal from a United Kingdom hospital after being discovered praying for an elderly patient.
The revelation came to light through Harvey Olufunmilayo, a self-proclaimed online doctor, who shared the incident via his Twitter handle, @drolufunmilayo, earlier today.
While these claims have not been independently verified by various news providers at the time of this report, Dr. Olufunmilayo recounted the incident as a cautionary tale for Nigerian healthcare professionals relocating to the UK, advising them against engaging in prayers for patients.
According to the doctor, the nurse in question was not only terminated from her position but also deported from the UK. He emphasized his belief that bringing religion into the professional realm of healthcare in the UK was considered unethical.
The unnamed Twitter user further elaborated that, in the UK, it is not within the purview of nurses to offer prayers for patients. Instead, they may seek a religious clergy member to conduct any necessary religious services, refraining from engaging directly in such practices themselves.
In his tweet, Dr. Olufunmilayo lamented the situation, stating, “I just read the sad story of a Nigerian who came to the UK and was employed by an agency to work as a caregiver for elderly people. She was assigned to care for an elderly patient who was dying, and she was reported for ‘praying for the client to get better’. Yeah. She got sacked and deported.”
He continued, highlighting the perceived breach of trust and professional ethics, remarking that such actions are deemed as an abuse of trust and a misapplication of one’s professional role. The expectation, he emphasized, is for healthcare professionals to solely focus on executing their assigned duties without veering into religious practices.
