CPR after rigor mortis

Specialties Geriatric

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Hello All, Do u know where I can find information referring to Long term care scope of practice for RN's? What is the policy on starting cpr after rigor mortis set in? Thank you:)

Just when rigor mortis sets into this thread, someone attempts to revive it...

:chuckle

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well, everyone funny I found this thread. I am sitting home now instead of being at work. Yesterday, at change of shift, a CNA asked me to look at a resident. She was obviously dead. I just happened to be available, her nurse was on the phone. I told him to get her nurse, I did not know her code status. But believe me she was gone. To make a long story short, myself and several others are now suspended while this is investigated. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "They" said they dont know the outcome of this and will call me Tuesday. I am in shock!

:chuckle Yes this thread is still breathing. I would love to find out the outcome of this situation. What did they say?

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well, everyone funny I found this thread. I am sitting home now instead of being at work. Yesterday, at change of shift, a CNA asked me to look at a resident. She was obviously dead. I just happened to be available, her nurse was on the phone. I told him to get her nurse, I did not know her code status. But believe me she was gone. To make a long story short, myself and several others are now suspended while this is investigated. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "They" said they dont know the outcome of this and will call me Tuesday. I am in shock!

I too would like to know the outcome of this situation. Please keep us informed surfnbeagle.

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I find this quote a bit funny. Since when is decapitation usually a cause of death? I thought it was always a cause of death.... hmmm. I am taking Adv. 1st Aid now... and we've just finished the section on CPR, so to speak. I think I'll ask this question in class today and see what my instructor says. I can't think of many health care workers that see doing cpr once rigor has set in a good idea.

Didn't you get the section on reattachment in your CPR class?

Just joking.

God, I'd hate to walk up on a patient and have their head roll off the bed onto my shoes.

What a nightmare that would be.

Sounds like something out of a Stephen King movie.

They wouldn't have to worry about firing me for not doing CPR, I'd probably need it myself.

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Specializes in ltc,hospice.
I too would like to know the outcome of this situation. Please keep us informed surfnbeagle.
I should add that there were signs of lividity and the doctor was promptly called by the charge and the doc said not to do CPR due to the obvious signs of death. The Nazi risk manager is now the acting DON, the DON has also been suspended. There was talk about us being reported to the state by the risk manager. Its 4 of us nurses who are waiting for a call on Tues from admin. about "the outcome". I know I did the right thing, called for assist and other staff has been supportive and even calling out in protest.
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I should add that there were signs of lividity and the doctor was promptly called by the charge and the doc said not to do CPR due to the obvious signs of death. The Nazi risk manager is now the acting DON, the DON has also been suspended. There was talk about us being reported to the state by the risk manager. Its 4 of us nurses who are waiting for a call on Tues from admin. about "the outcome". I know I did the right thing, called for assist and other staff has been supportive and even calling out in protest.

Wow!!! :angryfire Unbelievable! I'm so glad I quit my LTC job!

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In a LTC facility I worked in, I received an order for a Resident to have an EKG done. The tech came and began doing the EKG, I left the room. I came back a little later and the tech gave me reading. I'm looking at this reading, the tech is removing the leads. I used to work in telemetry. Looking at the reading, I notice pacer spikes then I can see where all there is are pacer spikes. :uhoh21: I look up and see that the Resident has expired. I asked the tech if he noticed that the Resident had expired. The vague realization is observed on his face. :uhoh3: The Resident was DNR. :p

We teach in CPR courses that you dont have to do CPR if the following exists:

1. DNR Order Present (hard copy)

2. Physician present and pronounces patient

3. Rigormortis is present

4. Severe Trauma

But whats concerning to me is that you would find a patient in rigor mortis...How often do you check your patients? Im guessing this is LTC, but still.....Dont these people have meds, need to be turned, checked for incontinence or so forth?

Also a facility that doesnt do BLS? Run from that facility as your well being is in risk. Your educator needs to review the laws and practices revelant to resuscitiaton and do's and dont's. I could see a charge of abuse or negligence in a case of CPR to a patient with rigor mortis.

Weird Story..........Ive got another one.

We got a stat page from the lab stating a patients potassium was 9.5. yes, Potassium. We started to go into the room and they physician is walking briskly to the room as well (He got a page). We go in there and the patient had expired. The lab tech had drawn blood from a person that just expired. He just walked in there and stuck the guy and left.....didnt realize he was dead.

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