Thousands of British nurses think it is fine to have an affair with one of their patients, according to research.

Almost one in 10 nurses think breaking the age-old taboo of starting a relationship with one of their patients is acceptable while one in six said they knew of a colleague who had a sexual relationship with a patient they were looking after.

The findings, published by the Nursing Times, will add weight to the controversial remarks by Conservative peer Lord Mancroft that nurses are "promiscuous" and "unprofessional".

Mancroft faced a backlash after he claimed he was ignored by nurses and forced to listen while they discussed their drunken antics and sexual encounters while being treated for gastroenteritis at the Royal United hospital in Bath last summer.

The survey's findings suggest many of the UK's 400,000 nurses are prepared to run the risk of being struck off for sleeping with patients and also that relationships between nurses and patients are not uncommon.

In January the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) issued strict new rules reminding nurses that they face disciplinary action if they embark on a sexual relationship with a current patient.

The rules also say that relationships with former patients will often be deemed unacceptable. The regulations have proved contentious with nurses who say many such relationships end in marriage.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) says the survey findings, of 3,600 nurses, are "very concerning".

一項調查顯示，英國有數千名護士認為與病人發生曖昧關系可以接受。

近十分之一的護士認為打破傳統禁忌、與病人談戀愛可以接受；六分之一的護士稱，她們的同事與自己護理的病人發生過性關系。

這項在《護理時代》上發表的調查結果將為英國上院議員、保守黨人曼克勞弗特對護士的一番有爭議的評價提供“證據”，他認為護士“生活混亂”、“缺乏職業道德”。

去年夏天，曼克勞弗特因患腸胃炎前往位于巴斯的皇家聯合醫院就治，他稱在其住院期間，護士們對其不管不問，反而在那討論她們喝醉后的滑稽動作和性話題。曼克勞弗特的這番言論遭到了強烈抨擊。

而這項調查結果表明，在英國的四萬名護士中，有很多人會不顧被開除的風險，與自己的病人發生關系；此外，護士與病人談戀愛已不是什么新鮮事。

優質醫療健康護理委員會于今年1月發布了行業新規，根據新規定，如果護士與正在接受治療的病人發生性關系，將會受到嚴厲的紀律處分。

規定中還提到，即使病人出院后，這種行為也不可接受。但這些規定遭到了護士們的異議。她們稱，很多這樣的戀情最后都開花結果。

該調查共有3600名護士參加。皇家護士學院稱，調查結果“非常令人擔憂”