Posted on 12/04/2007 10:49:43 AM PST by UKrepublican
Hospital staff told to make sure Muslim patients' beds face Mecca five times a day
The job of the nurse used to one of caring for the sick and needy.
But not - it would seem - in today's politically-correct Britain.
Now, nurses are being encouraged to spend valuable time turning around the beds of Muslim patients up to five times a day - so they can face Mecca.
In a bid to promote cultural understanding, they are also expected to provide patients with running water so they can wash before prayer.
And then, of course, they are required to turn the beds back around to return the wards to normality. The measures are being pursued by Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust to ensure Muslim patients have a "more comfortable stay in hospital".
Hundreds of staff have attended tax-payer-funded workshops with Muslim GPs and ethnic-minority support groups on how best to help patients.
During these meetings, nurses have been told that if a patient asks for water to bathe in, or for their bed to be turned to face Mecca, then this should be considered.
If the measure is deemed "practically possible" and does not impinge on other patients, then it should be carried out.
And if it is not practical, nurses are encouraged to find them a bed that faces Mecca permanently.
But an experienced nurse at Dewsbury and District Hospital in Yorkshire where the ideas are being tested, has blasted the scheme.
She said: "It would be easier to create Muslim-only wards with every bed facing Mecca than deal with this.
"We have a huge Muslim population in Dewsbury and if we are having to turn dozens of beds to face Mecca five times a day, plus provide running water before and after prayers, it is bound to impact on the essential medical service we are supposed to be providing.
"Although the beds are designed to be moved, the bays are not really suitable for having loads of beds moving around to face a different direction and, despite our best efforts, it does cause disruption for non-Muslim patients."
Conservative MP David Davies also criticised the idea, saying: "Hospitals should be concentrating on stopping the spread of infections than kowtowing to the politically-correct brigade."
The workshops - led by the hospital's chief matron Catherine Briggs - looked at Muslims' religious concerns over being in hospital.
A key part of Islamic faith is praying five times a day to Mecca, Saudi Arabia - revered as the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed.
Muslims are also meant to wash themselves in running water prior to prayer.
Although staff said they would do everything possible to help patients fulfil these obligations, a request by Muslim women to be seen by female-only doctors was not guaranteed.
The scheme comes just a year after some NHS hospitals introduced Burka-style gowns for Muslim patients who did not want to show their face during operations.
Yesterday, a spokeswoman for Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust confirmed that nurses were encouraged to help meet individual requests.
She said: "Nurses have not been ordered to move beds or provide running water - they have just been encouraged to help meet patients' needs wherever possible.
"If a sick patient requests that their bed be moved to face Mecca, then it is right that the hospital looks at this request - even if it is more than once a day.
"If it is practically possible - and is not inappropriate or inconvenient to nurses or other patients - then it is right that nurses try and carry it out.
"We can also try and move the patient to a bed that faces Mecca permanently."
PING
So sorry what is happening to your once great country.
Prayers up that this insanity can be stopped...I truly fear for you if it isn’t.
You’ve got to be Sh**ting me.....
Madness. More madness.
The UK is finished.
hey, maybe they can wheel my bed to Sunday school. Cool!
The scheme comes just a year after some NHS hospitals introduced Burka-style gowns for Muslim patients who did not want to show their face during operations.
-
do I need to say any more?
Put them on “Lazy Susans”.
I know! Put the beds on revolving platforms, and just give them a spin like on Wheel of Fortune! Where it lands, nobody knows!
locate the bathrooms on the east side of the room and the muslim patients will just go elsewhere for medical treatment.
And don’t forget to pay them the Jizya tax too, Infidel slave.
What absolute stupidity.
to be technically accurate, to face Mucca the beds need to be pointed almost straight down.
“The UK is finished”
You have to respect the Japanese. They won’t tolerate this crap. They pride themselves on being Japanese and won’t let other cultures cloud that.
Brits need this mentality. Brits need to be Brits.
If the mudslimes want their way, GO TO AN ISLAMIC COUNTRY!!!
I am so sick of people bending over backwards to please the apes.
just unplug the IV completely. Shut off the ventilator.
give them the 3rd world medical care they deserve.
Hey Muslims... got a tip for ya: The world is “round”. In point of fact, if you face away from Mecca, you’re still facing Mecca. Neato, huh?
"TURN THE BEDS 5 TIMES A DAY OR,
WE'LL BURN DOWN THE HOSPITAL!!!!
ALLAHHHHHHH!!!!!
Must be hard to make sure the beds are facing the right way for Satanists.
Do they do this in hospitals in Moslem countries?
Oops, I forgot, there are no hospitals in Moslem countries—they are all clamoring to get treated (for free) in Israeli hospitals.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.