Sikh Student Within The Nhs

[Guest Gupt Kaur]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Hello everyone. Basically I am 1st year nursing student currently on placement within the NHS.

The issue is I was sent home on thursday as there policy states staff to be "bare below the elbow" as im a baptised Sikh I explained I couldn't be bare below the elbow as I wear a Kara. Their policy states no watches, rings with stones, or any other jewellery could be worn. I explained that my Kara wasnt a piece of jewellery but an article of my faith. In my defence I addressed why is it then acceptable for wedding bands to be worn, and how isit policy states muslim women are allowed to wear a hijab as long it in the colour dress code, but no consideration for any other religions are made. My question to you all is have any of you been in this situation before WITHIN THE NHS, and is there any alternate ways I could potentially wear my kara until the matter is resolved. Thank you in advance.

[S4NGH]

WJKK WJKF ji

My sisters a nurse, worked for some years with in the NHS. She was allowed to wear her kara providing she pushed it up her arm and covered it with waterproof dressing for infection control.

Dont compromise by removing your kara.

[Barfi n Mithai]

I am a surgeon in the NHS and I wear my kara. As sikhs we are allowed to wear our kara - it is protected by law and you can sue the hospital for discrimination as they allow Christains to wear their wedding bands. Please be in touch with me and I can help you send a letter to infection control and if they don't listen we can take it to court. Normally when you mention that it is protected and that their policy is discriminating and how you will take it to court, they will leave you alone.

About bare below the elbows - I show my elbows as I don't think we sikhs need to 'cover up' arm skin. Now, people can see the hair on my arm and they will stare because we live in a culture and society that has female bodily hair phobia. In my case my skin is snowy white and my hair is jet black. The rest of the human race seem to have arm hair that blends with skin tone eg blonde/light brown hair on white skin or black/dark hair on dark skin. However I, like most sikhs from north panjab, have white skin with jet-black hair - it is very much noticeable to everyone due to the contrast - people cannot help but to look!

I have learnt that the first time you meet someone and when they look at your hair then you interrupt and tell them straight away why you have arm hair. In my experience if you do not tell them straight away, when they are staring, it can go wrong and affect working relationships because they walk away with weird thoughts that you are lazy for not removing it, unclean for having it, incompetent and weird for doing something that they don't understand etc. I use it as a way of educating them and patients on why we sikhs don't remove hair. Its not caused me any problems but I do enjoy catching them staring and telling them straight away. Some of them turn bright red. lol.

[Balkaar]

- Edit - pointless post on my part-

[simran345]

Balkaar ji why is it a pointless post.

seems quite informative and helpful.

[Balkaar]

seems quite informative and helpful.

Lol, that's kind of you to say Bhenji, but I didn't read the OP's post properly.

She said she was a baptized Sikh (amritdhari), and I disseminated advice that would have applied to a sehajdhari.

[simran345]

Lol, that's kind of you to say Bhenji, but I didn't read the OP's post properly.

She said she was a baptized Sikh (amritdhari), and I disseminated advice that would have applied to a sehajdhari.

Sorryji bit confused on this.

[Balkaar]

Sorryji bit confused on this.

You appear to be under the misapprehension that I was saying this entire thread/discussion was pointless. I wasn't, I only meant that my own contribution to it was unnecessary ("pointless post on my own part").

[simran345]

You appear to be under the misapprehension that I was saying this entire thread/discussion was pointless. I wasn't, I only meant that my own contribution to it was unnecessary ("pointless post on my own part").

Oh okji paji understood now, I wondered what u was on about.

[Guest Guest]

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/documents/publications/sikh_articles_of_faith_guidance_final.pdf

Department of health released guidelines in 2010 allowed sikhs to wear kara providing it is pulled up the arm as much as possible during clinical contact.