Woman Denied CPR Had Refused it; Sought ‘Natural’ Death

Woman denied CPR had refused it: A 87-year-old California woman who died amid controversy over a nurse refusing to perform CPR on her had actually refused the procedure, it has emerged.

An elderly woman who recently died after collapsing at a nursing home in California had refused CPR from staff members, her family said Wednesday.

Earlier this week, it emerged that a nurse refused to perform CPR on Lorraine Bayless, 87, when she collapsed at Glendale Gardens, a Bakersfield independent living facility. 

A 911 dispatcher implored the nurse to perform CPR, but the nurse said she could not under company policy, as an ambulance was heading to the facility. News of the incident drew public condemnation.

But the family of Bayless said she did not want any intervention.

“It was our beloved mother and grandmother’s wish to die naturally and without any kind of life prolonging intervention,” the family said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press. “We understand that the 911 tape of this event has caused concern, but our family knows that mom had full knowledge of the limitations of Glenwood Gardens and is at peace.”

Glendale Gardens also said that the nurse misinterpreted company policy and was placed on voluntary leave while an investigation takes place. The company originally said she followed the correct guidelines by refusing to give the woman CPR.

“This incident resulted from a complete misunderstanding of our practice with regards to emergency medical care for our residents,” the company said, according to AP.

[Related: CPR Refusal Probe Over Nurse Who Refused to Help Elderly Woman]

Arthur Caplan, who works at New York University as a medical ethicist, told CNN that from a “medical ethics point of view, I think if you call 911, and 911 says, ‘start CPR,’ you have to do it.”

“You are under an obligation to do it. You’ve started that process and you must follow through,” he said. “The policy on paper may make sense, but policy be damned when someone’s life is at stake.”

In the recorded call, the 911 dispatcher pleads with the Glenwood Gardens nurse, asking her to find someone who can perform CPR.

“Is there anybody there that’s willing to help this lady and not let her die?” the dispatcher asks in a recording of the call. “Not at this time,” replied the nurse.

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