Just had a chat with #2 daughter, who is a Paramedic in Kali about THIS story…
She said this is COMMON practice in a lot of the convalescent homes and nursing homes in Kali. She said the problem is many of the ‘nurses’ are in fact one level below nurses, and a lot of them are non-US born (e.g. barely speak English). They may only have ONE real nurse for the entire facility (80-100 beds) and one ‘corporate’ doctor who may ‘cover’ 500 patients, most of who he/she’s never even seen. And that most of the nurses have no idea if the patients are DNR or not, because they don’t bother to actually READ the patient’s records.
She said in many cases, they don’t even call 911 until they’ve called the doctor to get permission to call…
She said she has lost patients for this very reason.
I told her if they decide to put me in a nursing home, just shoot me and save the time and trouble… Sigh…
I just DO NOT understand how a person can just stand there and let someone die in front of them!
I worked something over 70 CPR cases over the years, and we only saved about 10%, but by God we TRIED to save everyone of those folks…
She said this is COMMON practice in a lot of the convalescent homes and nursing homes in Kali. She said the problem is many of the ‘nurses’ are in fact one level below nurses, and a lot of them are non-US born (e.g. barely speak English). They may only have ONE real nurse for the entire facility (80-100 beds) and one ‘corporate’ doctor who may ‘cover’ 500 patients, most of who he/she’s never even seen. And that most of the nurses have no idea if the patients are DNR or not, because they don’t bother to actually READ the patient’s records.
She said in many cases, they don’t even call 911 until they’ve called the doctor to get permission to call…
She said she has lost patients for this very reason.
I told her if they decide to put me in a nursing home, just shoot me and save the time and trouble… Sigh…
I just DO NOT understand how a person can just stand there and let someone die in front of them!
I worked something over 70 CPR cases over the years, and we only saved about 10%, but by God we TRIED to save everyone of those folks…
From the comments that the nursing home made before they did a 180 and threw the nurse to the wolves, it sounded like what happened was SOP and that the nurse did nothing wrong according to procedure. Contracts had been signed by the patients or her family.
What happened does seemed harsh and cruel, and I wouldn’t want it to happen to me but it sounds like the family knew this could happen.
As a former firefighter & 911 operator, this story sickened me. Unbelievable.
Matt- Turns out she was not actually a nurse… I’m not sure on the family, but possible.
Rev- Concur.
I’ve gone through 3 CPR emergencies at work and hated every minute of it. I don’t do well with mouth to moth for any reason, but it had to be done. Two lived, one died the next day. And none of them sent me flowers…not that good I guess. As for the nursing homes, if there is a DNR, they have to let nature and God take it’s course. But many have to abide by the insurance regs, too. It would be hard for me to watch. I would have to leave the room. But it is a common thing even in side the US.
If the ick factor of mouth to mouth is a problem folks should know that Hands Only CPR is the standard practice for non-professionals now. Any CPR is better than inaction, if you don’t have time to take a class just go watch the video.
That is PRECISELY how it works in nursing homes in California.
I think that I’ll post a horror story on my blog about what happened to me when I had to put my grandmother in a nursing home.
My mother has been in a nursing home for years (dementia). We have a DNR in place. The body lives, barely, but the mind is gone. She is kept clean and fed, actually, excellent care, but you wonder why. No easy answers.
I’ve told my kids, should the day come to pass, to drive me to a VA facility and leave me on the steps with my DD 214 in my posket. Then drive off and not look back.
My Experience:
http://symbolic-mirage.blogspot.com/2013/03/california-nursing-homes-are-evil.html
CP- I wasn’t aware of that, but I got out of VFD in 1990…
R- Now they don’t even recommend breathing as of the last course I took. Just chest compression.
LL- Again, I didn’t know it was that bad…
WSF- Yeah, agree!
LL- thanks
I wonder if an untrained person would do harm by attempting chest compresions on an aged person whose bones are likely so brittle that there is high risk of cracking/breaking ribs.
Better than almost sure death? Maybe.
I’ve seen broken ribs at that age and the outcome was pretty much the same, but with prolonged agony in the meantime.
As bad as this story sounds, and is – a glaring oversight was made during the initial reporting – the patient had a DNR. Granted, if this information was made available to the dispatcher, all of the emotional pleas to have SOMEONE begin CPR would not have been heard.
This story has FAIL on so many levels, but thankfully the patient and family don’t have to agonize over failed resuscitation attempts or nursing home policies prohibiting those attempts.
At least in THIS case…
She wasn’t a nurse and the patient had DNR orders. Sad, but apparently that was what the family wanted.
Myself – I’ve asked Partner to get a big ice floe, put an Obama bumper sticker on the back (as I will likely be checking out early due to socialized medicine) and launch me with a couple of cases of Yeungling and a ham radio.
I have instructed my wife to put me in a leaf bag and put it out on the curb on Thursday.
My Mom died a few months ago. One thing quite upsetting to me was the completely nonchalant attitude of the staff.
Bob- Broken ribs are better than death… I worked a 90 year old, whom we did break ribs on, but she survived… Just sayin…
Badger- I wasn’t aware of that piece of the puzzle, thanks! And you are correct.
Brigid- Concur, but I’d add a ham sandwich…
Skip- That works too…
North- Yeah, THAT I think more than anything else is what set folks off…
I wish this surprised me. I saw stuff in nursing homes that had me seeing red and sending reports to the DA begging for prosecution. I told Lu a long time ago I’d rather starve to death than wind up there.
I’ve visited people in nursing homes. They varied from very Spartan to luxurious. None were even close to the surroundings of a family and the worst smelled of piss and Lysol.
Somehow, our society has abandoned the sacrifice of helping a person pass with dignity and replaced it with communal death facilities. The staffs are overworked and too many are incompetent.