Nurse Refuses To Give C.P.R.
By STOUTjodee
@STOUTjodee (3572)
United States
March 3, 2013 5:50pm CST
Even a 911 dispatcher pleaded with this nurse at a senior living facility in Bakersfield, California to give C.P.R. to this individual until the Bakersfield Fire Department could arrive. The nurse claimed it's against the facilities employees to give C.P.R. to their residents. Wow, I thought if she was a nurse that was a top priority to keep her patient alive! But you can check it out for yourself at this link abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2013/03/elderly-woman-dies-after-nurse-refuses-to-give-her-cpr/
Now granted I wasn't a nurse, but I've worked in the healthcare setting and usually most of the time where you were getting trained at they also would train you on C.P.R. or they would even encourage you to be C.P.R. certified. I could see if you were a housekeeper, but there are nurses who can and should be able to perform C.P.R. at least long enough for the fire department to show up. At least know that you tried to save this person's life until help arrived. Why do you think it would be policy of a facility to not have their nurse perform C.P.R. on a resident at least long enough for the fire department to show up?
4 people like this
16 responses
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
4 Mar 13
I do not understand why the nurse was not allowed to give CPR! I am CPR Certified because I do Childcare and that is important to know whether your in childcare or the medical field. I would not be allowed if I was not certified but I am. I know people can get in trouble if they don't have the CPR card on them and perform it but the nurse should have to have that being a nurse!
I do not understand this and I think it is ridiculous. They could save a life by doing CPR on a patient that needs it!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Mar 13
hi LMB there is one thing if she had a do not revive n her chart the nrse could not legally revive her.that chlls my blood to think of that and I refused to sign that myself.
@cqgin9909 (10)
• Canada
4 Mar 13
unfortunately, nurses are allowed to decide if they want to use their skills when ever they want. It's not a requirement by law they should help. It's choice. Nurses like her give the profession and other nurses a bad name I'd think. Hope that person was ok.
1 person likes this
@cqgin9909 (10)
• Canada
6 Mar 13
No, outside of work, nurses are not required to do so. At work, I'd think it's part of their job though I'd check with hospital policies and yes, that DNR (do not resuscitate) order plays a big part too. Sad, but some people have signed it.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
4 Mar 13
another case of bureaucracy coming before common sense.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
4 Mar 13
yes and i bet either one of us or most here would have lost their job before standing by watching someone die!
dont you?
dont you?
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
4 Mar 13
Here if the patient or resident has a DNR order then we cannot start CPR. If there is no such order then someone's head should roll for that.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
4 Mar 13
thats what i was thinking PQ, that perhaps there was something to do with orders of do not resusitate.
she may have been concerned with that. just the same, im afraid id have been fired! as i couldnt stand by and see someone die if i could help.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
4 Mar 13
wow, I cant understand that one. I hope they investigate that place. If i had a family member there, id want everyone of them to be able to do that. very sad...
1 person likes this
@blackrusty (3519)
• Mexico
4 Mar 13
not know all the details if there is a D N R in place you can touch the person to save the life or a living will that state no hero mesure
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
3 Mar 13
I do not know unless the nurse was not qualified enough and then why would she be working? However with Obamacare you will see more of this happening, nurses refusing to give CPR on the order of their superiors. I hope that those in charge will review their policy and rid of this horrible policy. I hope charges of murder are raised.
The emergency personal may not get there in time.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
4 Mar 13
Liability issues? (confused look)
What is the purpose of a nurse there anyway? That's crazy.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
5 Mar 13
That was on the TV news. The company spokesperson said she did right, according to company policy.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
4 Mar 13
I can understand the underlining concerns of the living facility management about improper administer of CPR. by its employees can result in lengthy legal lawsuit by the authority and patient. Unless the law is changed, no one is going to blame the facility except frivolous lawsuits lawyer. It is a typical case of " do you are damn, not doing you also damn" sort of scenario right in front of your eye. 
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
4 Mar 13
Just until after I read your post did I ever think that a nurse could actually refuse to give CPR. We have been introduced in school how CPR is done so that we are able to help someone who might need it in when certain accidents happen. So why would a facility prohibit their nurses from performing CPR? Crazy!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157622)
• United States
4 Mar 13
It may be for fear of a lawsuit, or it may be that the residents have signed DNR forms. I am not sure. If you are a nurse, you do know how to do CPR. I know how to do CPR.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
4 Mar 13
That is shocking, that a nurse could stand by and let someone die when she could possibly save them. Someone mentioned Obamacare and I'm sure that we will see more of this as it is put into practice but I doubt it was the case here.
But....if I was 87, had to be in a senior facility, and just collapsed because there was something wrong with me, I'm not sure I'd want to be revived. I would have had a long life and the quality of that life might be minimal if I was brought back. 87 is long past the 70 years God gave us. That's just me, though, maybe the woman would have wanted to live another few years.
Either way, it's shocking and I can't imagine the pain and frustration the woman's family must feel. It was a cruel, heartless thing to do to let her just die--or was it mercy? I hope we find out.
