The following comes from a September 4 posting on Catholic Online.
A bill that would stop employers from having policies that forbid employees from taking lifesaving measures is on the desk of California Governor, Jerry Brown. The bill is a response to the death of Lorraine Bayless, 87, who died in a Bakersfield retirement home after staff at the home said they could not perform CPR.
Bayless collapsed on Feb. 26, and staff at the Glenwood Gardens nursing home called 911. During the call, the dispatcher recommended staff perform CPR. The staffer on the phone refused saying her company policy forbade the lifesaving procedure.
After she refused, the quick thinking dispatcher, later identified as Tracey Halvorson, implored the nurse to find someone else to attempt the procedure.
“I understand if your facility is not willing to do that. Give the phone to a passer-by. This woman is not breathing enough. She is going to die if we don’t get this started. Do you understand?”
When paramedics arrived, Bayless had already stopped breathing and paramedics were unable to revive her.
The subsequent controversy created a brief media firestorm as the debate raged over whether a company should be allowed to permit employees from providing lifesaving procedures during emergencies. Already, Good Samaritan laws protect ordinary citizens from legal punishment if they attempt to save a life. At the same time, some businesses forbid such behavior and employees could be fired, such policies are often the result of an extreme fear of liability.
To protect these employees, Sen. Norma Torres (D-Pomona) sponsored AB633 which would bar employers from adopting such policies. It would protect employees who perform lifesaving procedures during emergencies.
The bill passed unanimously in the state Senate and is up to Gov. Brown to approve.
To read original story, click here.
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California has to pass a LAW to compel life-saving measures ? What kind of a world is this – where things like that are necessary ? Right and wrong are suddenly in question ? This whole thing is sick. Everyone needs to sit down and think these things over after reading some source material like the Ten Commandments. They’re NOT suggestions. Killing can be done by refusing to act or by taking action – IT’S STILL KILLING, and unless we’re acting in self defense it’s wrong – as it always has been. THINK, people !!!!!!!!!
Good God, I remember this story from when it happened — how horrible.
Not wanting to help a dying person because it’s “against policy” — whose policy? Satan’s?
The employee was within her rights to deny it because her company forbade it. She kept her job. So now it’s allowed under new law. OK. Don’t blame the employee for following her job orders. We think it bad but that’s becaue in our workplaces performing CPR is OK.
There are some facts about the case that were not reported. For one thing, the family and a patient had DNR orders (Do Not Resuscitate) from what I read.
That’s why they had no problem with the company policy. While this sounds cold, I asked my dad about it (a retired gastroenterologist), and he said DNR orders for over 80 patients aren’t an unreasonable choice. Quality of life studies on resuscitated elderly patients don’t show very good results. I don’t have the numbers offhand, but my dad said VERY few do well after a resuscitation event.
Btw, Catholic theology does not prohibit DNR orders. Patients can make this choice. It’s not like witholding food or water.