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".

一项调查显示，英国有数千名护士认为与病人发生暧昧关系可以接受。

近十分之一的护士认为打破传统禁忌、与病人谈恋爱可以接受；六分之一的护士称，她们的同事与自己护理的病人发生过性关系。

这项在《护理时代》上发表的调查结果将为英国上院议员、保守党人曼克劳弗特对护士的一番有争议的评价提供“证据”，他认为护士“生活混乱”、“缺乏职业道德”。

去年夏天，曼克劳弗特因患肠胃炎前往位于巴斯的皇家联合医院就治，他称在其住院期间，护士们对其不管不问，反而在那讨论她们喝醉后的滑稽动作和性话题。曼克劳弗特的这番言论遭到了强烈抨击。

而这项调查结果表明，在英国的四万名护士中，有很多人会不顾被开除的风险，与自己的病人发生关系；此外，护士与病人谈恋爱已不是什么新鲜事。

优质医疗健康护理委员会于今年1月发布了行业新规，根据新规定，如果护士与正在接受治疗的病人发生性关系，将会受到严厉的纪律处分。

规定中还提到，即使病人出院后，这种行为也不可接受。但这些规定遭到了护士们的异议。她们称，很多这样的恋情最后都开花结果。

该调查共有3600名护士参加。皇家护士学院称，调查结果“非常令人担忧”