"It's a human being," Halvorson said, speaking quickly. "Is there anybody that's willing to help this lady and not let her die?"
The woman paused.
"Um, not at this time."
The operator pleaded with the nurse to attempt to find someone on the street who would be willing to help since no staff members were willing. The nurse did not want to administer the life saving help because it is the home's policy to not intervene in medical emergencies. The woman did not have a DNR (do not resuscitate) order on file.
I saw the story on the news and felt physically ill. What happened to all of us being on "Team People"? Sure, maybe the nurse would have gotten in trouble with her employer. SO WHAT? She had a decision to make- potentially lose her job or watch a woman die. She chose death for this woman despite the woman choosing LIFE for herself by not signing a DNR.
The staff at this assisted living facility are probably very accustomed to watching people pass on. Familiarity breeds complacency. It is still no excuse. Shame on the Glenwood Gardens assisted living home in Bakersfield, California for their policy requiring in-action and shame on those staff members for not being brave enough to give this woman a fighting chance at life.
Happy Wednesday! Wednesday means its time for the Wednesday Walkabout link-up!
It's a blog link-up party, every week here and with our co-hosts! Simply put your blog address or a specific post in the linky, visit some other people, and make some friends. Easy as that! I can't wait to talk to everyone!
Something new! One "Mystery Host" and will have their link as #5 in the linky, as well as be featured in Rule #1. Follow all 4 hosts on GFC or Bloglovin' and then keep an eye out next week to see if you're the lucky Mystery Host!
PS: You only have to link up with one of the co-hosts, it will link to all four sites!
The Rules
1. Place your link in the linky below and make some new friends. Simple as that.
Chantal - Scattered Seashells
Jane - Taingamala
Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife
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This story makes me sick. If you're a nurse, you went to school to help save lives! This world is a scary place.
ReplyDeleteI found you on Wednesday Walkabout, I'm your newest follower.
http://bmarie001.blogspot.com/
Briana
This is so horrifying. I had not heard that story and I am so sick to my stomach.
ReplyDeleteI saw that on the news the other day. Just awful. It takes a callous, cold-hearted person to sit there and watch someone die... just because of "company policy". Disgusting.
ReplyDeleteI live only 2 hours from Bakersfield and haven't heard this. It's so sickening to me, I feel horrible for that poor woman.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this on the radio and it absolutely made me sick! Unless the woman had a DNR they should have given her CPR regardless of what the policy said. Just awful.
ReplyDeleteWow, that is just so sad. My sister is a nurse and she wouldn't of just watched her die. Why would they even implement a policy like that?
ReplyDeleteNew follower from the Wednesday Walkabout
craftycrazinessandlife.blogspot.com
I was saddened when I heard this story, but feel maybe we don't know the full story? I feel like if it is company policy I would only want to live there if I had a DNR on file. So even if the woman didn't have a DNR, wouldn't she have known when she signed the contracts to live there that they wouldn't administer CPR? I mean, isn't that something the home would HAVE to tell people before they moved in? Just as a devil's advocate, but again, I think as a nurse, you took an oath to SAVE LIVES and was shocked to discover it was a nurse and not an under-qualified employee!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! That makes me sick that someone could just sit there and watch someone die. Yuck! That's disgusting!!!
ReplyDeleteMy mom says my grandmother died in a similar fashion. Just so wrong.
ReplyDeletewow, i had no idea about this story -- i really don't watch the news ever which can be a good or bad thing. thanks for sharing this (in a strange way, its not a good story but you know what i mean). i just can't believe this. what an absolute terrible policy to have for a company. it is disgusting that they let her pass away. aren't rules meant to be broken sometimes?
ReplyDeleteso sad! I can't believe that happened.
ReplyDeleteThis story makes me sick. I can't believe someone would watch someone else die all because of a policy. A life should always trump job security.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard that story. How awful! What in the world is wrong with people?
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard this story yet. I cannot believe it. What is wrong with people?!
ReplyDeleteIt is truly a troubling story ... and since it emerged, there have been several other stories about the lack of the DNR and that the family is not unhappy with the way it was handled by the facility, but they are unhappy about the way the media is handling their private, family story.
ReplyDeleteI read this one in the LA Times today:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/03/worker-refused-cpr-on-leave-senior-center.html
I think that it should open up a dialogue within families about what our loved ones' wishes are. I lost my brother a few months ago. It was a gut wrenching experience, but luckily we did not have to make any life and death decisions because we would not have know what he wanted beyond his desire to donate organs/body parts.
It should, I think, also get us to think more, as a society, about end of life issues. Rather than rush to judgement about one person's decision or a facility's policy, I hope that we will take the time to consider and talk about what we do with the technology we have, when we do it, and for whom.
I don't think that there are any easy answers. I do feel like the media has used this as an opportunity to shock rather than an opportunity to foster dialogue.
It was very sad to see this. Of course being nearly local news for us it was broadcast immediately over and over again. For them to have a facility whose primary job is to care for the elderly they sure need their license pulled!
ReplyDelete¤´¨)
¸.•*´
(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
www.raising-reagan.com
that is horrible and so tragic. i hadn't heard about it until i read your post.
ReplyDeletei hope you're feeling well and found something fun on t.v.
xoxo
maria
This story still scares me. Unbelievable that a person, a nurse, in her position refused to help a lady who needed it. Forget 'policy', it's being a human. It's helping one of your own.
ReplyDeleteSuch a horrible story. So sad that things like this can happen. Breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteThe family actually released a statement this morning and the woman did have a DNR on file. She signed it when she was admitted to the facility. And they had no problems with the way the facility handled this. They say it's what there mother wanted. I guess we should respect that. The villain here is the media who took a story and ran it without getting all the facts.
ReplyDeleteI read this morning that she did NOT have a dnr. A family member said that she wished to die without intervention but by not signing a DNR, there is no way to confirm that since she is dead now.
Delete“Our family knows that Mom had full knowledge of the limitations of Glenwood Gardens and is at peace,” the family’s statement read.
ReplyDeleteRead more: http://ktla.com/2013/03/06/retirement-home-nurse-refuses-to-perform-cpr-on-dying-woman/#ixzz2MxhTrglv
Read more at http://ktla.com/2013/03/06/retirement-home-nurse-refuses-to-perform-cpr-on-dying-woman/#BKLDR8SsLYdQUvQf.99
This story really upsets me. The media is exploiting the patient and the family. The resident knew of the limitations of the facility and the family knew of the wishes of their loved one. The media is ruining this time of mourning for a family. If the family has no problem with how the situation was handled, I don't see why this story has even gone viral. The facility definitely needs to step up their protocol on emergency situations and DNRs, but hind sight is 20/20. I think there is a lot of learning that could be done regarding these situations instead of saying "How could that nurse/facility be so horrible?" It really isn't that simple. End-of-life care usually throws most healthcare professional into complex ethical situations that could have been prevented if the person took the time to understand end-of-life options (including full code status, DNR, tube feedings, hospice, palliative care, etc).
I suggest you read this http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2013/03/huntsville_hospital_er_physici.html
The only benefit to a story like this is that maybe it will begin dialogue about the issues we do not like to talk about on a normal basis. It's really not as simple as "choosing life." Bottom line: we need to understand these complex interventions and we need all people to have discussions/legal documents regarding end-of-life decisions.