Does Faith Trump Hygiene?

That’s the question clinicians are asking themselves now that the United Kingdom is allowing Muslim physicians and nurses to opt out of strict apparel codes introduced to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infections – all in the name of preserving their religious beliefs. The Mail Online is reporting today that, “The Department of Health has announced that female Muslim staff will be permitted to cover their arms on hospital wards to preserve their modesty. This is despite earlier guidance that all staff should be ‘bare below the elbow’ after long sleeves were blamed for spreading bacteria, leading to superbug deaths.” The twist is that a nurse who is of the Christian faith was told that she cannot wear a cross around her neck because there was a risk that she could scratch patients; at another hospital, Sikhs have been allowed to wear traditional bracelets as long as they can be pushed up on the arm when engaging in direct patient care. This double standard is perplexing and infuriating to me – what do you think? Should religious beliefs be allowed to trump infection prevention principles and practices designed to keep everyone safe? To read the entire news item, CLICK HERE.