Many elderly patients do indeed ask people to pray for them, and the most common reason being having a disability that does not allow them to attend their church.

eanjay states that nurses and patients have rights. Too true. However, the patient is not bound by a code of conduct, hence the situation can and does occur.

It is quite simple. When you are giving clinical care, you do that. You do it kindly, courteously and in a way that helps put the patient at ease. BUT you concentrate on carrying out your professional duty.

To be brutally honest, I am at a loss as to how some people on this thread, who I am sure are well educated rational people, cannot see the wrong in leaving prayer cards when you have been invited into somebody's house in order to dress a wound or whatever. You are betraying that trust, even if we disregard the professional code of conduct and training, the public expect that people invited into their house on business will stick to that business and not use the invite as a springboard to other things, whether that turned out to be welcomed or not.