Healing Word outside of combat?

[Wulfgar76]

Can you do it?

It's a Cleric feature, useable 2x per encounter. However each time the party takes a short rest (outside of combat), the Cleric hands out unlimited healing words, adding 5-10 (1d6+4 wis) extra hp to each healing surge the rest of the party spends. Do the rules allow this?

Apologies if this has been answered before, but I can't find a rule on it anywhere.

 

[Victim]

The party takes a short rest after a combat. The cleric spends his words to help people heal. Then the party has to take another short rest for the cleric to recover those powers.

So, yes, you can, but it means that your rest takes at least double time or the cleric will be out his heals for the next fight.

 

[chaotix42]

After you use an encounter power you must take a short rest before you can use it again. So, the cleric can use Healing Word twice, then would have to take a short rest before he could use Healing Word again. Whether or not encounters were going on at the time seems largely irrelevant.

*EDIT* Check page 54 for further info.