Nhs & Health Services Uk - Call To All Health Professionals In Sikh Saroop

[mskcan]

Dear all,

I am here to write a personal request. Firstly I call upon those of you whom I have cyber-messaged and spoken to in the past regarding wearing of Kara.

Basically I am going to present a document to my Clinical Educator's stating action that I have taken to make sure that I can wear my Kara, and explain the facets of Sikhism, and it's protection within the Human Rights Charter and within the law of the UK legal system.

I am not British, I am Canadian but I am practicing and training here. There are a few documents out there, but what I would like to do is collate all the relevant documents and solutions here to make sure that I present a fair and reasonable case for the Sikh cause.

Any thoughts, or individuals who would like to help?

Regards

[Revolutionary]

If you're refering to the nothing-below-elbow rule, then I personally take it off when I'm working in wards for efficient infection control. Last thing I want is to affect my duty to the patient.

[mskcan]

If you're refering to the nothing-below-elbow rule, then I personally take it off when I'm working in wards for efficient infection control. Last thing I want is to affect my duty to the patient.

I have discussed this with infection control.

Wedding Bands are allowed to be worn, and usually they are not cleaned from underside.

Kara can easily be cleaned with soap and water, or alcohol gel before and after each patient contact. However, in many cases patient contact does not even occur and Kara can be slid up the arm while writing notes for example.

Christians fought for wedding bands, I will fight for my Kara thank you

[Hardeep__singh]

If you're refering to the nothing-below-elbow rule, then I personally take it off when I'm working in wards for efficient infection control. Last thing I want is to affect my duty to the patient.

I have discussed this with infection control.

Wedding Bands are allowed to be worn, and usually they are not cleaned from underside.

Kara can easily be cleaned with soap and water, or alcohol gel before and after each patient contact. However, in many cases patient contact does not even occur and Kara can be slid up the arm while writing notes for example.

Christians fought for wedding bands, I will fight for my Kara thank you

I think you are doing the right thing and you don't need necessarily any help in doing so because you are doing this through the proper channels and with supreme intellect, what you need is support and we as sangat can do that.

[mskcan]

In fact my clinical educator's thus far, and my placement coordinator have been supportive of the idea.

I discussed with her today that I am a Sikh, and we are often mislabeled and currently they are having a large problem understanding specific cultural needs. I thought for her benefit and mine I could explain the solutions, reasons that we wear what we wear.

No doubt as Revolution has mentioned there are cases where certainly some exceptions need to be made such as Aseptic environments. This includes during open surgeries where beard may need tying back and mouth piece worn, as well as Kara removed for duration of surgery.

However, they are beginning to make exceptions for moslem women who are adamant that they will wear full sleeves on hopsital wards.

People have made remarks that I can not even wear my kara while walking on a ward. Yet they wear wedding bands which are not kept as clean, and visitor's/guests also come in without this rule.

In cases I accept that I may need to remove it, but when I am spending most of my life at work and walking around I want to be recognized for what and who I am.

I will report my findings here

[Revolutionary]

I have discussed this with infection control.

Wedding Bands are allowed to be worn, and usually they are not cleaned from underside.

Kara can easily be cleaned with soap and water, or alcohol gel before and after each patient contact. However, in many cases patient contact does not even occur and Kara can be slid up the arm while writing notes for example.

Christians fought for wedding bands, I will fight for my Kara thank you

Ah, my mistake.

Nice to know you've thought this through. I was quite ignorant about the whole Wedding Bands issue but thanks for letting us know.

:TH:

[spamindersingh]

I have not been asked to remove my kara yet. Maybe they should make examination gloves which can stretch over the kara whilst treating.

[mskcan]

Hmnmm interesting idea, perhaps I can look into something like that...

[spamindersingh]

Hmnmm interesting idea, perhaps I can look into something like that...

I suppose we should be able to get longer examination gloves. I am sure vets use such gloves when helping to birth animals etc.

Please keep us informed if you come across any suitable gloves as I for one will ask work to supply them.

The other thing to do is to put the kara in the autoclave but then you would be waiting long time to get it out. I suppose it would not hurt to autoclave a kara once in a while.

[sitargirl]

This problem came about due to huge public scrutiny of superbugs like MRSA. The hospitals in essence responded by introducing all these policies however no one knows if they make a signnificant difference ie do we actually know whether wearing kara increases infection rates?

In my opinion they need to conduct more studies before writing everything off as being infectious. Also as msckan said I too refuse to take my kara off when people are allowed to wear wedding rings. Anyways enough of my opinion: I think msckan you should google for the sikh doctors medical association and see if they help with this sort of thing. Otherwise all the best and let us know the outcome.