I've read a few comments on here saying that the nurse was just trying to be nice and helpful, that people are overacting to a kind gesture. My response is that you can be a wonderful and kind caregiver without having to offer prayer or any other kind of religious absolution to your patient. It is possible to care about people without bringing religion into it. A patient should not have to feel obligated to react to their caregivers beliefs. It is just bad practice to assume that someone has the same beliefs as you in a work situation where you have to care for a diverse group of individuals. I'm an administrative assistant. If someone came into my office and told me they had a bad day and I said, "Would you like me to pray for you?" I would be reprimanded by my supervisor. It is an inappropriate response in a working situation. Like I said above, just like politics and charities are off limits in most workplaces, so should religion be off limits. The world is a changing place, the U.S. is especially mixed with a number of different cultures and ideas floating around. I don't think it is wrong to ask people to change to accommodate these new cultures and ideas. I have to withhold my personal ideas in the workplace. When someone comes into my office and talks about finding god as a wonderful experience (which has happened) I don't just get to say, "Actually, I think your beliefs are a culturally accepted psychosis." Because I know they would complain to my supervisor about it. I just do the professional thing and nod my head and make noncommittal noises. It doesn't matter what her intentions were her behavior was still ultimately unprofessional.

This nurse made the assumption that her patient was like her. I think it is an important lesson to her. I'm making a generalization here but I find that people who are religious tend to think that everyone else is. Then when they are confronted with someone who is actually annoyed or offended by their religious assumptions they are dumbfounded. I think the trust is taking the right action. Religion and prayer should be left out of the work place. If you can't solicit politics or charities then you shouldn't be able to solicit for religions. Lastly there is always a chance that you can make a sick person (who may just happen to be an atheist) even more uncomfortable then they already are. Why take that chance? Keep your personal beliefs to yourself!