911 Dispatcher Pleads With Nurse Who Refuses to Perform CPR

http://gma.yahoo.com/video/gma-911-dispatcher-pleads-nurse-080000658.html

http://gma.yahoo.com/elderly-woman-dies-nurse-refuses-182806486.html

A 911 dispatcher pleaded with a nurse at a Bakersfield, Calif., senior living facility to save the life of an elderly woman by giving her CPR, but the nurse said policy did not allow her to, according to a newly released audiotape of the call.

if this was brought to trial and you was a juror would you award the victims family damages and would you convict the staff for not adminstering CPR

 

Money is the root of all evil

 

People are the root of all evil homie

 

LOL, good point.

Its people who make the choices in life at the end of the day, money or no money, whatever the circumstances may be.

I think we least not ever forget at the base that humans are a species of nature and some of us are damaged as fuck.

 

It's not the nurses fault.
Whoever wrote the policy to not administer CPR in an elderly living center should be hauled out and whipped.

Unless there is a direct DNR order from the resident or the residents family, life saving measures should always be acted on until it is proven to be effective or until the person is declared dead.

Anyone who undertakes any medical training learns that.

 

In the case of a DNR or Living Will, this is perfectly understandable, but it is the inherent responsibility for any clinician/healthcare worker to save lives, promote health...and most of all PREVENT DEATH. This makes absolutely no sense to me. And if I was related to this elderly patient, I would be in there so fast kicking ass and taking initials...that I wouldn't have time to take names!!!

 

I bet the policy of this assisted living senior facility was NEVER supposed to be made known to the public.

That's one of those dirty little secrets the children of elderly parents in nursing homes probably don't like to know, that if grandma is having respiratory difficulties the nurse on duty is going to let them die.

It can't be a liability issue, she's a medical professional giving emergency care to a senior citizen.

So many of those assisted living facilities IMO are money scams. Elderly people with the means are better off staying at their OWN homes and having a part time care giver help them out running errands, bathing, meals, etc.

I can't wait to read what the justification is for such a policy.:smt120

 

Lets also keep in mind that the family of the lady may have a DNR on file. Meaning when and if the lady goes into arrest the staff is not allowed to start CPR...Many homes have this in place to allow the person to pass away with respect. Plus doing CPR on older people is difficult, there is a danger of breaking ribs. The tape does not tell the entire story. A tape will never tell the entire story, so please dont junmp off the cliff just because you have walked to the edge. Also the news resporters released this tape for what purpose, they need to shock the viewer and to create ratings for the TV show that they call the news.

 

Botton line you are healthcare professional you are trained to save lives,regardless of policy sometimes you have to cross the line to save a life and in this case i feel she should have over step her boundries to save that woman.. rules and policies are made to be broken and i guarantee you that if she was fired for responding she could have made a big stink of it, and the public would have sided with her.Just one of those no good policies .when i worked in the emergency department the most stupidest thing i've witness is aperson had a heart attack in the parking lot the staff could not respond to that.. they would always call 911 bring the patient inside before they could get attention the healthcare industry has become sickening with money and these fucked up rules.so i think this is one of those kind of cases.IT STINKS!

 

I've seen this policy before. We actually have similar policies at my hospital...however at the end of the day I would have no problem breaking a policy like that (and potentially losing my job) to save a life. I refuse to sit and watch a person die because of 'policies'. It boggles my mind to know that there are medically trained people who would follow words on paper, over saving a life.

 

yeah we say that until we get into that situation. Im not saying you wouldnt try to save them but you know................human nature is self preservation

 

I get what you're saying, but I believe most nurses get into the medical field to help people. I understand human nature is generally very selfish, but there are good people in this world who put the lives of others ahead of their own greed. When it comes to someones LIFE or my JOB...there's zero question in my mind which one of those gets protected.

 

yeah, I truly get what you are saying. i pray everyday that I can live up to that moment and not pay a heavy price for it.

people get sued for saving a persons life by the person who life was saved

 

Money and politics has destroyed the healthcare industry and the awful pitiful part of all this the people that seems to introduce these policies has never been on the front lines of taking care of people,they have no clue. it's kinda messed a Doctor takes an oath/or nurses takes their nurses creed or whatever to save lives but certain hospital POLICIES prevent them from doing so...Some healthcare industries/Hospitals are evil empires.

 

If it ain't about a dollar it don't make sense

 

THANK YOU!!!!

There sometimes are very good reasons as to why these policies are in place. Not in all cases, but for the majority there are. A lot of times, you break policy and it isn't just YOUR job at stake, your freedom as well. You could end up doing some serious prison time, sad but true. ESPECIALLY if you try to help someone and everything goes WRONG.

Like it was stated above, the same person you tried to save could be the one that comes back and bite you in the arse.... HARD !!!

 

This is true, no doubt about it. BUT, a nurse is someone who should be TRAINED in CPR and lifesaving techniques!! I can see if the average Joe, who has never taken a first aid class, clumsily tries to do CPR and causes more harm than good. Not that that should give an individual license to sue.

I didn't read the article, but gathered enough from the comments. It's a sad day when someone in the medical field who is qualified to administer lifesaving aid can't because of policies.

 

This is really the point. It's incredibly sad...and honestly if someone goes down outside my ER door, I'm helping them. Period.

I can appreciate certain policies within snf's, especially since you do have to be conscientious of DNRs on file, but not being able to help someone who codes outside the ER? That's absurd.

 

First of all, how are you??? I was gone TOO long this last time.

To answer your post, ask a well trained doctor or a surgeon even as to why their insurance premiums are so high. This country is sue crazy when it comes to the medical profession.

There are ALWAYS reasons, even for those who are well trained. Those who are well trained are usually the ones who gets sued first because the lawyers figure they are the ones with the most money.

 

I'm good! Great to have you back! Check your rep!

Everything you say is true. The ex is a doctor and I hear tales via my son. He lives/practices in Cali. Would love to leave because is EVERYTHING is so expensive, but his wife's family is there, so they need to stay at least until her children are out of the house.