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Hear the Stunning 911 Call When a Nurse Refused to Give CPR to a Dying Woman

Mar. 3, 2013 3:05pm Madeleine Morgenstern

An elderly California woman died after a nurse at her senior living facility refused to perform CPR, despite a 911 dispatcher begging her over the phone.

Instead, the nurse said the facility’s policy prohibited her from stepping in to save the woman’s life.

“It’s a human being,” dispatcher Tracey Halvorson said in 911 audio released by the Bakersfield, Calif. fire department, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Is there anybody that’s willing to help this lady and not let her die?”

“Not at this time,” came the answer.

That was the scene Tuesday at Glenwood Gardens after 87-year-old Lorraine Bayless collapsed, KGET-TV reported. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

But for more than seven minutes, the 911 dispatcher had tried to get someone to perform CPR until help arrived. With every passing moment, hope for Bayless’ survival grew slimmer.

“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,” Halvorson said. ”This woman is not breathing enough. She is going to die if we don’t get this started.”

The dispatcher even asked if there was a “gardener…can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady?”

When asked if the nurse was just going to let the woman die, she replied, “That’s why we called 911.”

Glenwood Gardens released a statement to KGET saying protocol for employees is to call 911 for patient emergencies, not to perform CPR themselves.

“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.

The facility promised to conduct a “thorough internal review” of the incident.

KGET confirmed the Bayless did not have a do-not-resuscitate order. Nevertheless, her daughter — who is a nurse herself — told the station she was satisfied with her mother’s care at the facility.

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Comments (412)

Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:51pm
Why do they hire nurses if they are unable to help? Why not just hire illegals to take care of the old folks? It HAS to be cheaper? (Sarc)

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- Cemoto78
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:07pm
  Welcome to the wonderful world of Obamacare, brought to you by the progressives. Wait till the death panels kick in………
  
  Report this comment
- M13
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:13pm
  So I guess the nurse was a one person death panel.
  
  Report this comment
- L.B.Stephens
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:15pm
  This is the end result of litigation’s and lawyers creating a lawsuit over every action taken by well meaning people. Now days it is very risky assisting people who are ill or in distress.
  
  Report this comment
- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:15pm
  That was a death panel.
  
  Report this comment
- burnteye86
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:22pm
  out with the old
  in with the new
  and if you complain
  we’ll kill you too
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:32pm
  Nurses Union…can’t touch them….
  
  Report this comment
- damnedifwedont
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:51pm
  If it happens to me,PLEASE! SOMEONE save my life!
  
  Report this comment
- KevINtampa
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:33pm
  Welcome to a world run by attorneys. I am certain they do this because it lowers their insurance rates as well as operating costs. The government requires specific and costly certifications for health providers to attain. Practicing health care in a facility with out these certificates as well as certified staff can land you in jail and subsequent fines and unlimited lawsuits.
  
  What a sad, sad, sad, society we have become. We are not independent, we are not free. Freedom is a choice.
  
  We let people die because we are intimidated by litigation and incarceration. We are not free. We are no longer a people who write and determine our laws, we are but the subjects to the lawyers that do and our judges see to that.
  
  Report this comment
- dfissell
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:37pm
  you can thank a judge and ” good Samaritan” law suits for this if she was to help she could be brought up on criminal chargers and civil law suit too boot
  
  Report this comment
- Former11BRAVO
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:39pm
  It’s obvious. They’re scared of lawsuits for not saving someone or for screwing it up.
  
  But, to simply REFUSE to intervene . . ! OMG!!!!
  You’re right, though – using the term “nurse” should be reexamined when it comes to these people! Ugh! :-( That’s awful!!!!
  
  Report this comment
- 83plus
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:55pm
  Glenwood Gardens released a statement to KGET saying protocol for employees is to call 911 for patient emergencies, not to perform CPR themselves. Then what was the point of learning it (if they ever learned it) short of satisfying med school requirements and employe regs? That is ridiculous! STUPID PROTOCOL!
  
  Every second counts in any medical emergency, CPR and a defib unit can mean the difference between life and death.
  
  Report this comment
- The_Jerk
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:04pm
  Look, at some point enough has to be enough. People must be permitted to die. There really are worse things. She was 87, and probably lucky.
- HigherRoad
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:15pm
  This is just another example of the devaluing of human life initiated with the legalization of abortion. No longer are people viewed as human beings with a soul and spirit, but rather as organisms who either contribute to the good of the whole or drain needed resources from the whole. This kind of thinking occurs when our Creator God is removed and we become nothing but evolutionary products of the primordial ooze. Death panels are the consequence of such misguided logic. Without God, this nation is nothing!
  
  Report this comment
- msjoe43
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:29pm
  First place Emperor Obama will go to are the nursing homes with a Sign-up sheet for the gov’t job the Obamacare Death Panel.
  
  Report this comment
- mikem1969
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:38pm
  Time for everyone to get a hold of anyone’s family that has anyone in that facility and remove them. A hospice nurse and trained family members are better in most cases anyway. I know at my house, I would have at least tried to save her life while getting a hold of the hospice nurse and 911. This is all thanks to liberal progressive designs of devaluing life and making it so courts hand out judgments against those that do the right thing. Welcome to Obama kill ya care.
  
  Report this comment
- vadale
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:58pm
  If you look in to this you will find rules established to avoid lawyers actions against them. Liberal money grubbing layers. Almost every problem we have can be traced to a liberal.
  
  Report this comment
- Advection
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:04pm
  I concur. Why bother paying nurse’s wages if all they do is dial 911? That’s a minimum wage job if I ever heard of one.
  
  Report this comment
- hostiletimes
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:20pm
  you don’t have to go there a-hole,some one may save your family hopefully they wont need one were all just people living to die!
  
  Report this comment
- HigherRoad
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:25pm
  THE_JERK–Yes, there comes an end to our natural life and to prolong life beyond reasonable measures is futile. However, administering CPR is not going beyond reasonable measures. This is simply giving the body sufficient blood flow and oxygen to preserve the organs until the patient can be evaluated by trained medical staff. No one is talking about hooking up a life support system. This is just simply on the spot basic intervention. I know many people in their 80′s who are still active and function independently. Obviously this lady needed assisted care, but that does not mean she had lost all cognitive function. She was most likely someone’s mother and grandmother and the senior living facility behaved in a very callous manner.
  
  Report this comment
- lbesq
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:55pm
  The Jerk, you live down to your Name. Really, Who are you to determine when it is “time” for someone to Die? I have an ex Father-in-law who is 94, and I am Quite sure could whip your butt in a fight. You are a pathetic excuse for a human being.
  
  Report this comment
- pavepaws
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 8:22pm
  More like unwilling to help. Don’t want to stay there.Probably helping Barry’s Death Panels.
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 8:33pm
  The excuse I heard from the report is that these locations are basically hotels for the elderly. I hope that nitwit that called 911 can live with herself and that the same thing befalls her one day…
  
  Report this comment
- VanishingFreedom
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 9:02pm
  I think it already has kicked in judging by this article.
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:11pm
  Obama death panels are kicking in
  
  Report this comment
- paperpushermj
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:40pm
  Without a DNR request from the family I would move any loved one out of what appears to be a death trap.
  
  Report this comment
- RichRN
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:40pm
  I’m sure that this sounds horrific to most people that don’t understand and this makes a sensational “news” story. I am a hospice nurse. I don’t know this family but the last line is telling. This resident’s daughter was a nurse and she felt the care was proper. This tells me that, as I have seen so many times, this woman was at the end of her life and ready to go. Many times it is very comforting to be released from the pain. People don’t understand that CPR is a violent act that our senior’s bodies don’t fare well. Most times ribs are broken at multiple points. (Google “flail chest”) Would you want to spend your last few extra hours or days in agony with each breath? Most CPR recipients don’t live. Fortunately, this woman’s daughter was informed and knew the dangers. She won’t run out and make some attorney a lot of money. Death is something we will all experience, hopefully after a long and happy life. There are worse things than death; being forced to move broken ribs just to breath or tearing the chest lining (Pleura), puncturing lungs… God chose a quick death for this woman, her work was done. I wish her peace.
  
  Report this comment
- Salamander
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:48pm
  That’s like having a security guard dial 9-1-1 and ask for the police, then stand by until they get there!
  
  Report this comment
- rambosharley
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 11:14pm
  Pathetic! OMG what is this world coming to? Oh yea I forgot..OBAMACARE!
  
  Report this comment
- dwilco77
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 11:56pm
  Actually it is Pete Stark that has this blood on his hands. He is the one that took the Good Samaritan Law out of Medical facilities so that Health Care workers could get sued in Medical facilities if a code arrest recovery was unsuccessful. This Nurse would be able to help someone across the street from her facility and would be protected by the Good Samaritan Law.
  
  Report this comment
- StandingOnMyHead
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 11:59pm
  Litigation, litigation, litigation! Welcome to your New America!
  
  Report this comment
- FROTHYDISCHARGE
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 11:59pm
  Disgusting. I can tell you that don’t know and this horrible nurse ratchet should know CPR is for the layperson i.e. the lifeguard, boy scout, baby sitter, grandmother ect. it’s not for the skilled ER doctor. it’s algorithms designed so people who don’t known about medicine can follow a set a instructions. this slime ball c.e.o. and the awful awful nurse should be criminally negligent. They went out of their way to kill someone. No way they are going to be held liable for doing CPR not even in CA. That’s some evil bureaucracy.
  
  Report this comment
- mastice
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 12:47am
  @RichRN
  
  You are absolutely right on the technicalities of CPR… but the article does not state if the woman was ready to die or not. If she was ready to die, then so be it. Personally, in that instance, I would absolve the nurse who stood by and watched her go.
  
  BUT… if the woman was not ready to die?
  
  Any person, who has the power or ability to prevent death to another person, that willfully stands by and lets that person die is guilty of murder in my opinion. Facility policy be d@mnEd… your job be d@mnEd… you have a responsibility as a human being to save another person if you are able.
  
  If you don’t… then you rank just a fraction of a millimeter above a cockroach in my opinion …as does this nurse.
  
  Report this comment
- girlnurse
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 3:44am
  She did NOT have a DNR order which means, as a nurse you MUST do cpr. I haven’t worked in nursing homes for awhile–years ago I did and we had to keep our CPR cards and training current. Well if this was truly an RN or LPN she should be in trouble…otherwise WHY are we going to the trouble of training for this stuff all the time and having current cards on file, etc??? It makes no sense! Now having said that, maybe she was ready to go and that is fine but we don’t know. I have seen people VERY unreasonable in this area. I mean yea, when people get old they DO indeed die. Some of my patients families have the attitude you are supposed to save everybody from EVER dying. Our culture needs to realize death IS a part of life. EVERYBODY dies–so maybe get your soul ready for it and build a relationship with the almighty God for starters.
  
  Report this comment
- DrKev
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 7:04am
  many of these places are actually assisting in the deaths of elderly people by over medication until they have given up any interest in kife or eating etc and just want the drug. eventually they starve the lerson to death by keeling them heavily medicated basically in a deep sleep without any water or nutrients until their heart stops. STARVED TO DEATH. I was told the process takes between 2 and 7 days I suspect it depends on the weight of the person. a heavy person probably takes longer.
  
  Report this comment
- tommyr
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 7:36am
  It would be funny if the woman who died was a lawyer. Really funny.
  
  Report this comment
- loriann12
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 7:37am
  Trust me, death panels are already here. My husband gave 20 years to the Navy for Tricare Prime health insurance. We’ve just been told that in September, we’re being INVOLUNTARILY switched to Tricare Standard. That means that one of my chemo treatments will go from costing me $12 to costing a $20 copay, plus a cost share of $419 with the possibility of having to pay the $3800 not allowed. I go every week for 3 weeks, then off a week. I will have to STOP my treatments.
  
  Report this comment
- bhosux
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 8:06am
  She did the correct thing. The 87 y/o can no longer vote for anything liberal if she was a Demoncrat type. The care facility now has room for a person with more needs. No more adult diapers to infest our land fills. She obviously was not loved by the staff. One less patient for the Obama Health Care and that will shorten the waiting lines at the reduced care facilities. Guess what… people die and we will too. Move along Citizens..
  
  Report this comment
- fishmagnet
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 8:40am
  When I had to check my mother into a nursing home/ rehabilitation facility, I knew the staff would not and could not perform cpr. Most of the staff are not registered health care
  professionals but are merely care givers. The story gives no insight into the condition of the lady prior to this event. Before passing judgement on the facility or the staff I recommend spending time at such a place and seeing the quality of life of the residents. Most have very limited capabilities and rarely if ever have visits from loved ones. I went to visit my mother every day for six months to monitor her care and to let her know how loved she was. When she passed my father and I were at her side. He held her hand and when the next breath didn’t come we did not call 911 but rather let her die in peace. Face it we all die and its better to go in peace than being “saved”. Don’t use this to blame. Just make sure your end of life issues are resolved before somebody tries to “save” you from the inevitable.
  
  Report this comment
- CALL ME SNAKE
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 9:06am
  With a growing societal disregard for human life and a continuing drop in human compassion this shouldn’t come as a surprise. This will make the rationing of health care all the easier. Another progressive win.
  
  Report this comment
- searcher619
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 9:15am
  You have to keep in mind if this nurse really was following protocol then it’s the home’s fault. Different places have different procedures. Seems this place id not allow their workers to perform CPR.
  
  Report this comment
- searcher619
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 9:16am
  Cemoto78: I seriously doubt this has anything to do with Obama Care and more to do with legal issues.
  
  Report this comment
- HigherRoad
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 10:04am
  RICHRN–I don’t doubt your expertise in this area; however, it appears that the “no CPR” is an across the board policy rather than an individual decision based on the patient’s health and the wishes of the family. If the senior living center truly thought this woman would not survive CPR, then so be it; however, to make that decision for everyone is heartless.
  
  Report this comment
- SamIamTwo
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 10:15am
  Pffft. All this reminds me of it the movie The Body Snatchers…you all point and scream at any BS news piece without thinking: DNR, DNR, and the family did not object.
  
  WTF do you clowns know other than Media REACTION Madness. (MRM)
  
  Report this comment
- michaelmoron
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:40am
  Why would this suprise me.
  
  NOT EVEN the POLICE, have ANY OBLIGATION to protect or save the Individual.
  
  The Congress finds the following:
  
  (1) Police cannot protect, and are not legally liable for failing to protect, individual citizens, as evidenced by the following:
  
  (A) The courts have consistently ruled that the police do not have an obligation to protect individuals, only the public in general. For example, in Warren v. District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. App. 1981), the court stated: `[C]ourts have without exception concluded that when a municipality or other governmental entity undertakes to furnish police services, it assumes a duty only to the public at large and not to individual members of the community.’.
  http://constitution.org/legis/03hr0648.htm
  
  Report this comment
- IMAWAKENOW
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:56am
  This is going to be very unpopular but I have a lot of experience in situations like this. I work in a large not for profit hospital in the mid-west. A very large % of our patients are both very old and on some kind of public aid. We have a lot of patients with NO quality of life that will spend $2500. a day of money they don’t have for care to extend life by a week or a month. Another week or month having strangers whipe their backside and dumping ensure down their gullet.
  Every one of us working there would never want some heroic effort to bring us back. Even without obummer care we could use death panels.
  
  Report this comment
- rose-ellen
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 12:01pm
  This is the new medical estblishment mindset. Now if you reach a certain age-you are suppossed to want to die. This is inhuman and these nurses[the same mindset that allowed a terry shciavo to slowly die of dehydration] are so brainwashed they are the antithesis of true healing professionals.. Very scarry .Their decency and calling to value human life has been eradictated with this indoctrination of “quality of life” ethosA euphymism for the new belief that only young and healthy have a right to life.Apalling!.
  
  Report this comment
- patriotpals
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 3:39pm
  To say, ‘this is appalling’ is a weak description of my reaction here. Visceral amazement might be better. I worked as a DSP/CNA for a residential facility for the profoundly disabled. Any one of our ‘patients’ could go into arrest at any moment. Cardiac, pulmonary, respiratory, arterial, whatever. It was our directive to perform CPR, and we all held certifications for it. In the facilities case, even people with DNR’s were subject to CPR in our facility (which I felt was wrong…if they do not wish to be resuscitated, then their primary directive should be honored). I can’t imagine a NURSE watching a helpless person expire….it goes far beyond heartless…to inhumane and coldly indifferent.
  
  Report this comment
- jcvillar
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 3:45pm
  An illegal would have done a better job at half the salary!
  
  Report this comment
- merefbr
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 4:01pm
  My motto was always “Save ‘em all… Let God sort ‘em out…” No body’s gonna tell me to stand by and watch someone die… Dan Meredith, RN 26 years…
  
  Report this comment
- goofey
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 8:11pm
  None of you have the foggiest idea of what you are talking about. Not one of you knows anything about CPR. Eighty six percent of all doctors have a DNR (do not resuscitate) form in their medical records. I am a licensed nurse; I also have a DNR form in my medical records. When I go jogging, I always wear my “RoadID” which clearly states, DNR. If you knew what doctors know about CPR, you would also have a DNR form in your records.
  
  Report this comment
- goodoldsalt
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:32pm
  In my State this would land the nurse in prison. One is required to render all assistance one is capable of in a life threatening situation.
  
  Report this comment
- Bunk5861
  Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:38am
  I have not had time to read many of the comments, however many of the ones that I have read are upset with the nurse for not doing CPR on this 87 year old resident. Before anyone gets to hot under the collar, you might want a little more information. Like what was the health of this individual, what comments had been made by this person reguarding what she would want done in such an event. Was it the family or the individaul that wanted CPR done and so forth. Have any of you ever performed CPR on an 87 year old person? Well I have. To any times. What happens is you break every bone in their chest, (yes you feel the bones pop and snap) and then after doing this for 30-90 minutes they die anyway. I have yet to see anyone of this age survive CPR when they have been in full arrest. When I am 87 years old and I go down in front of you with a stroke or cardiac arrest. Please just step over me and keep walking. At this point there are worse things then death. Just so everyone knows, I am a Registered Nurse, having worked the last 20 years in Critical Care and the ER. Every patient is and individual, with individual needs and health problems. Life is sacred and should be protected. But we have to look at the whole picture before we jump to conclusions. I just wish the pro-choice supporters would give just a little thought about the sacred nature of life, that I believe starts at conception. 87 years and perhaps a full life or zero years and no life at all.
  
  Report this comment
- dwilco77
  Posted on March 5, 2013 at 1:56am
  @ BUNK5861 and all of the other Nurses who have posted here
  
  It was not known whether or not this patient was DNR at the time of the event. That has been established. As Health care professionals, I am amazed at the tone of the Nurses that have had the opinion that they would make a decision on whether to perform CPR on “their assessment of the viability of the patient”. Since when was that power to decide the worth of a Patient given to the personal opinion of a Nurse. I must have missed that class in Medical School. Your job as a Nurse, ethically is to provide care. Despite the sometimes unfavorable situation, it never has been, and never should be up to an individual Nurse to decide the fate of a patient. It would be different if code status was known at the time of the arrest, but it was not. As far as the Nurse that refused, I am sure she will sleep soundly as she rationalizes her actions in her own twisted way.
  
  Report this comment
- old white guy
  Posted on March 5, 2013 at 9:35am
  michaelmoron…..who makes up the community… individuals…..what a convoluted piece of ***** that congress finding is. by saying the police have no obligation to protect or save an individual they are also saying they have no obligation to the collective…. man what stupidity.
  
  Report this comment
Crazymad
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:50pm
None of you know the total picture. We do not know her health situation. She may have had three cancers and dementia setting in. We do not know enough according to this article. When giving CPR ribs ARE usually broken. They could have punctured a lung, or totally caved her chest in. It is much more difficult applying CPR to the elderly and young. If the daughter is OK, and she has a medical background, and I do not know all the particulars….I can not comment.

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- terriergal
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:01pm
  Crazymad says
  “When giving CPR ribs ARE usually broken.”
  OH yeah and that would be worse than letting her die. /sarcasm
  
  Come on dude. You sound like the crowd that was apologizing for letting Terri Schiavo starve and dehydrate to death.
  
  She didn’t have a DNR, and human beings in this country have a DUTY TO RENDER AID. CYA non involvement is not an option. You cannot make a corporate policy that violates the LAW to uphold life in this country.
  
  Animal farm here we come. She outlived her usefulness, and was a drain on society, so we just leave her to die. Kinda sounds like that Obama guy we have in the White house that won’t allow anyone to even comfort a baby born alive after a botched abortion. SICKO.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:13pm
  She wasn’t even an Ambassador!!!1 Shamefull!
  
  Report this comment
- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:19pm
  @Crazymad: Oh, I thought I was reading a “comment” from you. Sorry. I didn’t mean to misjudge you.
  
  Report this comment
- 2Taxed
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:21pm
  “I was only following orders” – where have I heard that before?
  
  Report this comment
- missdagnytaggart
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:12pm
  The vast majority of the time, CPR doesn’t work on adults that age. All it would have done is break that poor womans ribs. That being said, what a stupid policy to have in place!
  
  Report this comment
- Alborn49
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:17pm
  911 has their protocol as well. And they have to advise how to help same the life until the EMS arrives.
  
  Report this comment
- Gremlin1974
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:14pm
  @Crazymad, as a Nurse of 15 years I feel fully qualified to comment. First of all just because the article says “Nurse” it doesn’t mention if the “Nurse” was actually a licensed nursing professional such as an RN, LPN, LVN, etc. so the “Nurse” may not have actually been a Nurse, could have just been a Nurse Assistant or caregiver.
  
  That not withstanding any Nurse who lets someone who does not have a DNR lay in the floor and die without administering CPR deserves to be stripped of her/his license and jailed for neglect and in this case possibly negligent homicide, “policy” be damned. It is unconscionable to me how anyone could standby and just watch a woman die. All the arguments that I have seen in other comments that she “may have had cancer”, “they might have broken a rib and punctured a lung”, or “policy” range from ignorant to down right idiotic. In my state this would be considered gross negligence.
  
  I leave this comment with the last line of the Oath took at the end of nursing school;
  
  “With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician, in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.” The Nightingale Pledge
  
  Let me repeat part of that for ya; “devote myself to the WELFARE of those committed to my care.”; there is no “unless policy says I can’t” in there.
  
  Of course this happened in Crazyfornia so this is probably an example of Obamacare at its best.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:57pm
  GREMLIN:
  I don’t believe Obama’s people are required to have a license. They only need and expired visa.
  
  Report this comment
- JeannieNC
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:08pm
  I’m curious how much the daughter will get in the will.
  
  Report this comment
- emberlyawake
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 4:22am
  If the womans daughter is a nurse, she should.know about DNR status and how important it is for it to be up to date. If the woman was sick enough that it was appropriate to stop interventions, then her daughter should have changed her non-DNR status. For instance I had four patients just in January this year who had multiple comorbidities but could have lived a while longer (CHF, COPD, CKD, HTN)..then influenza hit our facility and it tipped their already overwhelmed systems to a point where they would not recover despite Antiviral (or in the cases where it progressed to pneumonia, antibiotic) therapy. At that point, their ‘full code’ status was changed to DNR. If she was THAT ill she would likely not be in an ‘assisted living facility’, but a convalescent or skilled nursing facility. I do have a huge issue with a nurse that would not perform CPR on a patient because of company policy.
  
  On the other hand, if it was the patients wish to not be resuscitated, I fully respect that. The article is too vague.
  
  Report this comment
- Tom21773
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 8:10am
  Actually, you seem to be the one who doesn’t know the whole picture. Maybe it’s because you can’t read. “Bayless did not have a do-not-resuscitate order”. That’s all you need to know to understand the whole story. No one has a right to decide when someone else should die, unless that person is threatening another’s life.
  
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- ChappellGirl5
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 4:31pm
  You’re right about the reason for not giving CPR being because of the dangers of broken ribs & punctured lungs. My 86 y/o m-i-l was recently in the hospital & the doc told my husband that if her heart stopped it could be just as fatal to do CPR than to not. Also the fact that her condition was incurable & even untreatable (it was going to eventually kill her anyway). But from this story it’s not clear that that is the main reason for the prohibition. The story makes it sound like it’s just bureaucratic regs to protect against lawsuits.
  
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- flatbroke
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 7:44pm
  agree 100% crazymad, folk commenting on this are woofully misinformed about state laws, and licensing of nursing homes, skilled facilities, assisted living, independant living, each one is licensed differently and insurence covers only so much goveroning # of lic nurses, and unlic. personel. which are used a lot. also accusing a nurse of murder is rediculous, the lady was found laying on the floor, for how long? 20 minutes? 30? and why? past med history? and would CPR really help? to many unknowns.
  
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BlackCrow
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:50pm
Why is this a news item? The onsite nurse followed policy, there was a DNR (do not resuscitate) order on file and the next of kin is satisfied with care given. So????

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- free@last
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:53pm
  Can you show me the DNR? then I’ll reconsider my position….
  
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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:58pm
  @Blackcrow: How do you know the family knew and agreed to that? Oh, it was probably that “very fine print” where you can hardly read or understand the mumbo jumbo language used. I’m sorry but to watch another human being die due to “policy” is a little hard to swallow. I don’t care if the woman was 115 years old I would not be able to watch another person die without trying to help in any way possible.
  
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- MarkH
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:58pm
  The report clearly stated there was NO DNR on file! Clearly their policy has issues.
  
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- Shasta
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:03pm
  The article says “KGET confirmed the Bayless DID NOT have a do-not-resuscitate order”.
  
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- CatholicTexanGrandma
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:05pm
  The news articel said specifically she did NOT have a DNR in place.
  
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- RightInSoManyWays
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:08pm
  Aww, somebody failed reading class. From the artical “KGET confirmed the Bayless did not have a do-not-resuscitate order.”
  
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- PoliticallyRightUs.Com
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:08pm
  Read it again… There was NO DNR!!!
  
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- Verceofreason
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:12pm
  No, there WASN’T.
  Read the article.
  
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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:24pm
  Well I guess I would have lost my job for not following policy. I can and would not be able to stand by and watch another human being die without the instinct to try to help. I guess it takes a “special” kind of person to be able to do that. I guess I’m not that kind of “special”.
  
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- lookatthefactsjack
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:33pm
  I’d like to call bs on your statement. There was a DNR? Why did they call 911? 911 sends life saving medics. Why would you need them for a DNR?
  
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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:01pm
  @Lookatthefactsjack: Great point!! I didn’t even think of that.
  
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- JChampoux
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:23pm
  She didn’t have a DNR on file….maybe she would have enjoyed seeing her 88th birthday,who is that “nurse” to take it away from her so callously in the name of the “rules.”
  
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- TheDukeWayne
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:40pm
  You missed a key word in the last line “did NOT have a “do not resuscitate”" Its news when a NURSE is being instructed to assist by a 911 Operator. This is the same stand by let someone else do it attitude that leaves us with a rotting society.
  
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- Verceofreason
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:37pm
  DID NOT HAVE a do not resuscitate order.
  What don’t you understand?
  
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- kaydeebeau
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:38pm
  Try reading the highlighted in red passage at the end of this story – it says she DID NOT have a DNR……If she had a DNR – why did they call 911? – reading is FUNdamental
  
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- macpappy
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 8:40pm
  You should really read the article before committing. There was no DNR on record.
  
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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 9:28pm
  @Blackcrow: As usual, you people always tend to read in between words and never quite read any story correctly. Either you don’t know how to comprehend what you read or you just like to twist things around until they fit your agenda. Read the entire story before you make a comment! It only makes you look stupid when you don’t!
  
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- Mike76
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:01pm
  There was NOT a DNR in place. Didn’t read the story, did ya?
  
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- Deb C
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 3:39pm
  They knew policy when they signed up for this facility. Must be a slow news day…
  
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iwan60
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:46pm
The abomination of obamanation.

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- castuslonginus
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:16pm
  It all comes down to cost. Welcome to the new medical ethos. “First,do no harm,(unless it’s cost efficient”).
  
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sparky239
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:46pm
time for the State to pull each nurse’s license for gross medical malpractice..also charge each staff member for failure to aid in medical trauma..I would also like to see if the DA could bring charges of Medical neglect ..These people show gross neglect toward a human being in distress and it sickens me that the oath these people took didn’t out weigh the morality and decency they trained for ..

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- PoliticallyRightUs.Com
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:12pm
  Can you guess which race the nurse was and which race the patient was??? A little reverse racism perhaps?!
  
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- Toltepeceno
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:07pm
  There is no such thing as reverse racism, I suggest you read the definition of racism. I guess reverse racism would be not racist?
  
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- chips1
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:19pm
  SPARKY:
  Your post made me wonder why Doctors go to medical school and learn to save lives and then turn around and kill babies. Do they have a one week class in Murder 101?
  
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- rose-ellen
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 1:39pm
  Right on!
  
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marssnw
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:44pm
If anyone in that facility has a CPR card, they are required by law in some states to perform CPR. Not sure about California. These people are guilty of murder. When you stand there and do nothing you are at fault for that persons death. They could have at least tried. Im not suprised this happened in the liberal/baby killing California. They will be the first to introduce euthanasia into law. I guarantee it.

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- Xanderson
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:31pm
  Oregon has had this law for years already!
  
  http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/Evaluationresearch/deathwithdignityact/Pages/index.aspx
  
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- Xanderson
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:40pm
  …and Washington State :(
  
  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/141318.php
  
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- chips1
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:28pm
  And Obama’s millitary.
  
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- Halloween
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 8:47pm
  Just because you have a CPR card does not mean you have to do CPR. If you are in a job that requires it as in the job description, then you do. If not, you do not have to do CPR regardless of a card.
  
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- eaglescout1998
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 10:26pm
  Except that Bakersfield isn’t quite the bastion of liberalism that the state is as a whole. There are areas of California that are VERY conservative.
  
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ShowMeState314
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:40pm
Ugh! Terrible. Just terrible. Kinda makes me wonder what the life insurance policy payout is. Of course, it’s easy to be vindictive on the readers part. There has to be more of the story that we’re not getting. I mean, what’s the point of utilizing a nursing home if the doctors and nurses at the place won’t perform simple CPR until hospital medical personnel can arrive? Thoughts and prayers to those involved because they’re the ones who are going to have to live with their decisions.

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momrules
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:33pm
Last year I came upon a young dog that had been abandoned and had been hit by a car out here in the middle of nowhere where I live. I tried to save her, did my best in fact, but she did die. I buried her here on my place.

I guess the point to my little story is that the people at the nursing home didn’t care as much about this lady, a human being, as I did for that dog.

What a sad statement about some people in this world.

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- Xanderson
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:35pm
  I’m sorry the poor pup didn’t make it but God bless you for easing its suffering. You sound like the type of person we all should aspire to emulate!
  
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- KeithParfitt
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 5:48pm
  At least the puppy didn’t die alone. You were there to comfort it. It doesn’t look as if we can say the same for the poor elderly individual. Watch out for the ELF’s (End of Life Facilitators), coming to a care facility near you!
  
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IMCHRISTIAN
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:32pm
If I was around anyone that was in stress, I would be honored to try to help out and not to forever feel that I had watched someone die and I was partially at fault rules or no rules. It is better to lose your job then your soul.

What would the President think if nobody would help out any member of his family that may need emergency help but they just stood by and watched the member die? All life is precious from the first cell to the time of natural death.

Life is short but eternity is forever so do what is right always.

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- Desertcatn
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:38pm
  I think we have his answer, when he said he didn’t want his daughters “punished” with a baby!
  
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Sharon Rose
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:32pm
obamacare(less) in place already.

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Jedrin
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:32pm
Maybe the 87 year old woman had asked that no heroic measures be used to resuscitate her. When people get to be 87 years old they tend to die of old age. No one gets to live forever as far as I know. 87 seems like a full measure to me. Now if it were murder or abuse then there is something to get upset about. Two people died last night in a car wreck near my home. I haven’t found out their age. In that case they should by all means been given CPR. Sometimes young people die too young. Not fair. Sometime babies are born with a life shortening medical problem, now that is really sad. At what point is it time to go? When a doctor decides or when God decides?

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- circleDwagons
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:03pm
  CPR is not heroic measures. If the lady had a DNR why bother calling 911 just call the coroner
  
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- 00100111
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:16pm
  Wagons. Please read the story in it’s entirety, especially the last line:
  
  “KGET confirmed the Bayless did not have a do-not-resuscitate order.”
  
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- midnightvelvet
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 8:53pm
  @jedrin
  So if she had been 86 her life would have been worth saving?
  
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oceandove
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:30pm
How long has this zombie been nurse? Is this how we train nurses now, to remain completely inhuman and unfeeling?

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- sparky239
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:59pm
  very much so…its a pay check for some and it is all they care about..
  
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- Gremlin1974
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:46pm
  Unfortunately, there are 2 kinds of Nurses, there are those that went to school obtained a license and have letters behind their names, that is the first kind of Nurse. The second kind of Nurse are just that Nurses who believe in the oath they took, these are the real nurses and the group of which that I am proud to be a part.
  
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The-Monk
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:29pm
The “Complete Lives System” in action…..

Or should I type it “inaction”?

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- The-Monk
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:37pm
  That being said…. I think the decision still lies with the 87 year old person.
  
  What did she want done? Did she have a DNR on file?
  
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- oceandove
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:43pm
  The report said that the 87 year old did NOT have a DNR order.
  
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- Shasta
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:56pm
  Yep, it is Ezekiel Emanuel’s (Rahm’s brother) Complete Lives System. In this case, I think that the word ‘complete’ means over and done with. Amazing how the progressives have no problem discarding lives at both ends of the spectrum.
  
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- burnteye86
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:14pm
  Policy doesn’t excuse the nurse for letting her die. She will have to answer to God for this.
  
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- 00100111
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:14pm
  When asked if the nurse was just going to let the woman die, she replied, “That’s why we called 911.”
  
  Yup. Complete Lives System right there. Good old Agenda 21 and the disease that is Liberalism. Don’t take action yourself, just call the State and they will come.
  
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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:45pm
  Hey Monk:
  We now can’t assist anyone, only the Govt can help you, and if you interfer, they will crush you. Now we are living in 1984, along with the twisting of the truth right in front of our eyes, and the public blindly accepting lies.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:15pm
  Hi Darmok,
  
  Yep… it’s “The Life of Julia” in action. : (
  
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oceandove
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:28pm
Could the bottom line be money? Did the 87 year old lady sign over her money to live there and in the event of death the facility gets all the money? Her daughter who is a nurse is OK with the mom’s treatment. Sounds like the mom knew about the no CPR clause and had her mother sign the paperwork anyway, or signed it for her. Another facility used to throw our elderly away. It sickens me!

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- Desertcatn
  Posted on March 5, 2013 at 12:10am
  I’m probably going to get some grief for this post and I apologize in advance to authentic, caring nurses. At our hospital in Reno, the nurses are organized under the SEIU, I learned this during my stay there a couple of years ago. I have to admit that I have a bias against anyone that would give the SEIU a dime. I’m sure there are wonderful nurses there and I was treated well, but it was really disturbing to me that SEIU is so firmly imbedded in our health care system.
  
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Xylliab_of_the_Znarghh
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:26pm
If you break the rules and save a life, but crack a rib while your doing it, you could end up losing a lot more than your job. I would have tried to save the woman, but I can’t say I wouldn’t have to think twice about it.

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- 00100111
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 4:18pm
  Job vs Life. I’ll choose life.
  
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83plus
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:25pm
What outrageous nonsense, they do CPR for patients that go into cardiac arrest. Stupid policy, I see a possible lawsuit coming.

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NeoKong
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:24pm
The lady sounded like she was on drugs.

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civilwarcometh
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:22pm
I watched my mother die from cancer and take her last breath looking me in the eye less than 2 years ago in a bed in my living room. Out of site out of mind. I feel sorry for everyone involved.

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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:04pm
  @civilwarcometh: My deepest sympathies go out to you! But I do have one question…what do you mean by “out of sight, out of mind”?
  
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- civilwarcometh
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:53pm
  Her mother was in a nursing home and if she had been their and saw her mother and looked into her eyes she might feel differently about her mother passing away and not helping her to live. Sorry about my spelling. So that’s what i meant by out of sight out of mind…
  
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- civilwarcometh
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 6:56pm
  I didn’t explain it right the first time sorry. was a little upset about what the daughter said. Had a few things running in my head at the time. Thanks for asking.. And your comment…
  
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- TH777
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 7:29pm
  @civilwarcometh: I totally understand! May peace be with you! :)
  
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HOOT_OWL
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:22pm
Is this a affordable/health/care commercial …?
I guess the ‘death panels’ gave this poor elderly woman the thumbs down.

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leonardo44
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:20pm
Her daughter was satisfied with the care her mother received, really? They stood by and did not resuscitate even though the woman did not have a “Do not resuscitate”? Her mother is dead and she states she was happy with the care her mother received? wow, that is scary. At what point would she be unhappy with the care her mother received, they let her die when it sounds like she could have been revived.

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DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:18pm
Lawyers at work.

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dovndce
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:14pm
It’s obvious the “nurse” is an Obama voter and has appointed herself a “Death Panel” judge. I doubt it will happen but the “nurse” must be charged with a crime and brought to trial.

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R4M0N
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:12pm
Her daughter was satisfied with the care her mother received at the facility. That explains it all to me: A daughter who didn’t care put her elderly mother in a facility that didn’t care until that time when the mother would cease to exist. Everyone is now happy.

Sad state of affairs.

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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:51am
  @R4M0N
  
  That was the final maddening thing about this story. The daughter didn’t even care that these people let he mother die.
  
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The-Monk
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:11pm
When they call 911….. it means the “death panel” is activated.

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TheWhiteFalcon
Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:10pm
Wow…just…wow. How could they be such mindless zombies?

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- RightUnite
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 3:12pm
  Obama supporters to be sure.
  
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- VanceUppercut
  Posted on March 4, 2013 at 11:53am
  @RightUnite
  
  Denying care to someone who needs it? Sounds like a Republican to me.
  
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