“Is there anybody there that’s willing to help this lady and not let her die?” the dispatcher asked in a recording of the 911 call released by the Bakersfield Fire Department.
“Not at this time,” the nurse said.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday when 87-year-old Lorraine Bayless collapsed at Glenwood Gardens, a senior living facility in Bakersfield.
In the seven-minute, 16-second recording, the nurse told the dispatcher it was against the facility’s policy for employees to perform CPR on residents.
With every passing second, Bayless’ chances of survival were diminishing. The dispatcher’s tone turned desperate.
“Anybody there can do CPR. Give them the phone please. I understand if your facility is not willing to do that. Give the phone to that passerby,” the dispatcher said. ”This woman is not breathing enough. She is going to die if we don’t get this started.”
After several minutes, an ambulance arrived and took Bayless to Mercy Southwest Hospital, where she died.
Glenwood Gardens released a statement confirming its policy prohibiting employees from performing CPR.
“In the event of a health emergency at this independent living community, our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives. That is the protocol we followed,” the statement said.
Despite protocol being followed, the nursing home said it would launch an internal investigation into the matter.
No actual medical nurse on staff? No CPR certification required? Just walk in, say they are a people person and hired at minimum?
We allow our parents and grandparents to live (excuse me, " convalesce" ) in these places?
I wonder though maybe it is in private documents (so the center isn't saying), but perhaps, the woman had in her files that she did not want to be resuscitated in case anything like this happened? I know a few older people who have documents which state how much medical attention and what they want done in different scenarios and depending on their current health condition too (and the center is keeping this private and just stating policy??). This is just something which popped in the head.
Overall, very very sad. :-( I was frustrated just listening to the 911 call.
this is why I dont understand, I am a nurse, I work geriatric, I know about DNR's they are not private in a facility, if you work with someone you know if they have a DNR its the first page of all patient charts so I do not believe this is the case, I have never heard of a facility or nurse not able to give cpr
Quoting meam4444:I wonder though maybe it is in private documents (so the center isn't saying), but perhaps, the woman had in her files that she did not want to be resuscitated in case anything like this happened? I know a few older people who have documents which state how much medical attention and what they want done in different scenarios and depending on their current health condition too (and the center is keeping this private and just stating policy??). This is just something which popped in the head.
Overall, very very sad. :-( I was frustrated just listening to the 911 call.
Some Opinions Needed Please
- gmadiane
on Mar. 4, 2013 at 10:04 AM