By Gwen Furmanek
Assistant Opinion Editor
An 87-year-old woman died because of the lack of morality in today’s world.
Lorraine Bayless was denied CPR at Glenwood Gardens in Bakersfield, Calif., according to a March 4 USA Today story. A nurse refused to perform CPR after Bayless collapsed last Tuesday in the dining room and was hardly breathing.
The policy in these situations for this specific independent living community is to immediately call 911, according to the same article. The nurse followed protocol and did this, but the policy needs to be changed to include assisting the patient in lifesaving procedures.
Considering this staff member was a nurse, she of all people should have felt the obligation to step in and throw policy out the window.
This policy doesn’t apply in the assisted living and skilled nursing facilities nearby. Residents in these facilities would have received CPR in the same conditions, according to the article. This can serve as an important reminder when picking out facilities of assisted living to be aware of all the policies, especially ones involving life and death.
The 911 dispatcher desperately asked, “Is there anybody that’s willing to help this lady and not let her die?”
“Um, not at this time,’’ the nurse said.
I am beyond appalled at this nurse’s sheer indifference over the situation at hand. Her voice had an even tone, not sharing any emotion or care whatsoever toward the woman dying in front of her. It’s understandable in today’s economy to be concerned over losing your job, but it shouldn’t be the reason to not try and save another life.
What’s wrong with the world when people care more about a job than the life of another human being?
This nurse absent-mindedly obeyed the moronic policy she had been issued. She acted like a drone, with zero emotion in her voice. I would hope individuals would take a stand and stick up for their morals in a situation like this but this nurse proved me wrong. She should serve as an example of when to not follow policy. If your gut is telling you something isn’t right, you should listen to it and abide by your morals rather than your job’s outdated policy. Protocol isn’t always right.
The 911 dispatcher pleaded with the nurse to give the phone to a bystander, since the nurse refused to treat an elderly patient on the brink of death, according to the same article.
It takes an incredible tragedy to open the eyes of the facility to change its policy. This policy should have been up-to-date enough that this horrendous occurrence would have never happened.
The California Board of Registered Nursing is concerned with how the nurse did not respond to the beggings of the 911 dispatcher to give the phone to a bystander so they could help the woman, according to a March 5 Detroit News story. If the nurse had handed the phone to someone who was not obligated to follow policy, this woman may still be alive.
The family of Lorraine Bayless said they would not sue or try to profit from the death, and called it “a lesson we can all learn from,” according to the Detroit News article.
Let’s not allow this to happen again. This policy and any other policy stating a similar protocol needs to be revised to allow people to aid patients when they need it most.
Lorraine Bayless’ death was indeed an incredible tragedy, but let it serve as the example needed to open the eyes in some facilities to save the lives of others.
