Nurse at California retirement facility refuses CPR to dying resident
About Michael John ScottMr. Scott is the owner and publisher of Mad Mike's America. He is a U.S. Army veteran, career law enforcement executive, and dog trainer. He is a university professor, and criminal justice consultant, holding several degrees, including a master's in criminal justice and human services. He has completed the requisite coursework toward his doctorate, and is still working on his dissertation.
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BAKERSFIELD, CA – The administrator of Bakersfield’s Glenwood Gardens confirmed Friday the retirement facility has a policy: Employees do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation on residents of Glenwood’s independent living facility. That’s why a nurse refused the pleas of a Bakersfield Fire Department dispatcher to begin CPR on a Glenwood resident who collapsed Tuesday morning.
The 87-year-old woman died. Reports identify her at Lorraine Bayless and confirm she did not have a do-not-resuscitate order. Her daughter told 17News she is satisfied with Glenwood’s handling of the situation.
Bayless was a resident at Glenwood Gardens’ independent living facility, an area adjacent to, but separate from, Glenwood’s skilled nursing facility and assisted living facility.
She collapsed in the facility’s dining room at about 11:07 a.m. Tuesday.
Someone called 9-1-1, and Bakersfield Fire Dispatcher Tracey Halvorson got the call. Glenwood Gardens personnel handed the phone to a nurse who identified herself as Colleen.
During a 7-minute, 16-second call, Halvorson reasoned, cajoled and at times begged the nurse to start CPR in an attempt to save the woman.
The nurse said Glenwood Gardens policy prohibited her attempting CPR. The dispatcher assured the nurse Glenwood couldn’t be sued if anything went wrong with CPR. The lcoal emegency medical system “Takes the liability for this call,” the dispatcher said.
“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.
Later: “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.”
But no one did, until the fire department arrived. Bayless died at Mercy Southwest Hospital.
You can read the rest of the KGET story here.
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Joe Hagstrom
March 3, 2013 at 8:40 pm
Has to be more to this story.
Carol Maietta views
March 3, 2013 at 9:25 pm
Working in healthcare, I totally agree there’s another side to this story. BTW, the recovery rate after CPR, to a fully functioning state is a very low percent…less than 6%. And the older the person, the lower the number. However, I hope someone has the full story so an investigation can be done.
James Smith
March 4, 2013 at 6:27 am
I would recommend that everyone ask themselves, if it were you on the floor would you want someone to try to save you?
I agree, there must be more to this story, but if it were me, someone I cared about, or even a stranger. I would want someone to try.
Marsha Woerner
March 4, 2013 at 10:28 am
Me, I would not want anyone to do anything! If data is the position of the facility in which SHE had become a resident, one can only guess that you took that into consideration when she decided to live there. Even though she didn’t specifically have a DNR on file, if that was the policy of her living Center, presumably, that was her desire/understanding. The fact that her daughter is satisfied with the treatment/lack of treatment says a lot. I agree, a formal DNR would have been preferable, but I think everything was just as it should have been! I lost my mother a regular ago, and my father has been going through various change, potential loss of life situations. It’s all very disturbing, and I’m extremely happy that both of my parents that all of their kids know (there are five of us) AND all of their caretakers knew/know when their life is over, it’s over. DNR! It’s official, but if for some reason the paperwork can’t be found, we KNOW that Dad wants NO added care to try to extend his life. No feeding tubes; no CPR; no paddles!