WTF. Calif. woman dies after nurse refuses to do CPR - 911 begs nurse to do CPR or find a janitor

[snagglepuss]

The caller who indentified herself as a nurse at an independent living home coldly refused desperate request by 911 to start CPR. Nurse said management doesn't permit her to do CPR.


snip

"I understand if your boss is telling you, you can't do it," the dispatcher said. "But ... as a human being ... you know, is there anybody that's willing to help this lady and not let her die?"

"Not at this time," the nurse answered.

Halvorson assured the nurse that Glenwood couldn't be sued if anything went wrong in attempts to resuscitate the resident, saying the local emergency medical system "takes the liability for this call."

Later in the call, Halvorson asked, "Is there a gardener? Any staff, anyone who doesn't work for you? Anywhere? Can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady? Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger would help her."

"I understand if your facility is not willing to do that. Give the phone to a passer-by. This woman is not breathing enough. She is going to die if we don't get this started, do you understand?"



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10685820

[Angry Dragon]

1. take their license away

[haele]

9. They weren't a licenced nursing facility, they were an "independent living complex".

But it is strange that they had an on-site "nurse" - or advertised to have one, and wouldn't let her do CPR because of some sort of contract.
Most likely she wasn't an official licenced nurse such as a CVN/LVN or RN, but someone who went to a vocational caretaker's class - a nursemaid, rather than a nurse.
Still, even professional licenced babysitters are supposed to be certified in CPR.

Haele

[pipoman]

2. dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022456161

[DURHAM D]

3. There are multiple OPs on this.

Here is just one OP. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022456161

It is not the first one but there is a conversation in progress.

[Hayabusa]

4. This isn't going to end happily

for either the facility, the nurse in question, or even the daughter, who said that she was fine with it and CPR probably wouldn't have changed the outcome. Charges ahoy...

[Tx4obama]

6. See comment #5. She is not a nurse. n/t

[Hayabusa]

8. I stand corrected.

Still, not looking good for her.

[DURHAM D]

7. The only person in trouble is the 911 dispatcher.

[Tx4obama]

5. She is a resident services director, not a nurse as previously reported

Article here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022459503

Also, the woman that died her daughter is a nurse and she knew that the residence home does 'not' provide CPR services.

And on the news today the 'full 911 call' tells the whole story - which is different than the short sound bite that the media has aired.

I think this story has gotten blown out of proportion before all the facts were known.

[pipoman]

10. I'm wondering how this became a news story..

who called it in.

[DURHAM D]

11. I believe it was the crusading 911 operator.

[pipoman]

12. Who should now be the new night manager trainee at 7-11

if true

[DURHAM D]

13. Given that the 911 operator was insisting on performing CPR on a still breathing person

that sounds like the right job for her.

[Purveyor]

14. This person may think differently if her child/grandchild happens to swallow a hotdog the wrong

way and chokes yet no one is 'willing or available' to perform a Heimlich on the kid.

Karma can be a bitch/bastard sometimes.