Should a nurse perform CPR to someone outside of the healthcare setting?

[jjones1728]

Should a nurse perform CPR to someone outside of the healthcare setting? Is it safe?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Sure, but maybe not for the very elderly. I mean they are already dead so what is the harm in doing some chest compressions and hopefully defibrillating them. If it doesn't work at least I tried.

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

I would.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

I am not sure that Good Samaritan law covers health care professionals in all states.

Several years ago, I went into anaphylaxis in a restaurant and two persons performed CPR on me. One of them happened to be a paramedic off duty; he used Epipens and told people around to call 911, to meet the car, etc. The second guy was the waiter who had some work spell as a beach lifeguard. In the process they broke a few of my ribs and I got a small pneumothorax - no idea who of them actually did what. The very next day i got a call from a local lawyer who "kindly recommended" me to sue the paramedic guy because he was off duty at the time and "was supposed to know" that CPR "might" not be medically necessary for anaphylaxis. According to him, the aforementioned Good Samaritan law "unfortunately" covered the waiter as a lay person, but paramedic was not covered by it.

Well, I sure ask him kindly go to h*** and stick in there but still wonder if what he told was the truth.

[azure42]

Even if my efforts were futile, I would attempt CPR.

For myself, personally, I would sleep better at night knowing I had tried.

[DebKRN, BSN]

Some of the comments I've read really break my heart. And, kuddos to those of you who would do CPR in any setting with no reservations. I couldn't even imagine walking away or standing there not helping anyone who is in need of CPR. This really hits home with me after having to perform CPR on my own husband who suffered "the widow maker" MI and dropped dead on my living room floor in front of our 12 yr old daughter. I would hope that if he had went down out in the community and there was a nurse around, he/she would intervene. CPR is not a joke. It can work. My husband is living and well almost 4 years later. His survival rate according to his cardiologist and research I've done was less than 3%. They nicknamed him "miracle man" at the heart hospital he was transferred to.

[Aliakey]

No question I would do CPR. No pulse. No DNR. I'm doing everything I can for you to offer that second chance in life. As an off-duty paramedic out of my region, my scope is limited to BLS unless ALS assistance is requested by the responding unit and approved by their medical director via radio. As an RN... far more limited, but I can still push on that chest.

Even if good chest compressions offered only a 30% of the normal blood flow... it's *something* productive. Otherwise, I'm not sure how my ACLS medications are circulating, hitting the right spot with a non-shockable rhythm, and by some miracle, my patient regains a pulse before we even move the patient to the ambulance. Understandably, chest compressions are not the ideal, perfect treatment... but short of opening up the chest, its what we have and is far better than nothing at all.

I'm not near the end of my life yet (I hope) and do not have a DNR. I would hope that if I hit the floor without a pulse, someone... anyone... would do chest compressions and if it happens, "break my ribs" (or whatever) to save my life, so be it. I'm recovering from 9 broken ribs right now and it's no cakewalk, but beats the heck out of decomposing six feet under any day :).

[UK_RN_AJ]

Without any doubt I would start CPR on anyone who needed it.

On a personal note My grandfather suffered a cardiac arrest last year, he was found by a a close friend of his who was a nursing aide who lived next door, she had come round to help with my grandparents washing as she was on sick leave, my grandmother watched as as this nursing aide did CPR for around 10-15 minutes on her own until the paramedics arrived, my grandfather fought for a while but unfortunately passed away in hospital. It people like her who fuel my passion for helping others and nursing in general.

just read this article about a nurse refusing to do CPR due to polices .............. Shocking

http://www.komonews.com/news/national/Woman-dies-after-nurse-refuses-to-do-CPR-194834281.html

[tewdles, RN]

If it was my family member that was down unexpectedly, I certainly hope that health care professionals nearby would try to help!

[Serlait]

Gee...I didn't realize that being a nurse released me from assisting another human being when I'm off duty.

[azure42]

...From my perspective, it doesn't.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

This conversation is causing me to consider one of my nursing school's policies, for the umpteenth time. In my school students aren't allowed to assist with feelings in residents rooms. I thought that was strange because from CNA school to my job as a 1:1 CNA in a hospital, I assist with feelings.

However, what's more perplexing to me is that I just found out students aren't allowed to feed anyone at all at the LTC facility even in the dining room. This far, we've been told the reason is that the person may need CPR and our school doesn't want us to use it.

I'm having a hard time imagining how/ why a school would require CPR with BLS and then tell us to stand and watch a resident choke and possibly die.

Is liability really that big of a concern? Or am I missing something?

[SuzieVN]

Relevant post- more so with that 'nurse' that watched that old patient die, and did nothing, in the place in CA that was reported around the globe. I suspect she's in for heartbreak from the CA BON. Anyway- from my latest readings, now, CPR is to be hands on only, with no breaths attempted, because the latest research from the AMA, and the like, have shown that circulation is the sole key to survival? But also, it was reported that the success rate of CPR was at best 15-18%? I'm old school, to the point of one state having determined: Do NOT attempt CPR, unless you personally witnessed the arrest- because you do not want to resuscitate anyone that may already have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen...since they will be resuscitated, but into a vegatative state?