LTC CPR on pt with rigor mortis and lividity

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One morning I went to work and 30 min into the shift, we found a pt with rigor mortis, and lividity - why would the DON tell us to do CPR? I felt like a complete idiot when EMS showed up.

One morning I went to work and 30 min into the shift, we found a pt with rigor mortis, and lividity - why would the DON tell us to do CPR? I felt like a complete idiot when EMS showed up.

Good grief!!!! I think I would have to tell her "Sorry boss, but I don't do CPR on dead people but if you want to do it, you go right ahead." I have never heard of anything so ridiculous!!!!:chuckle

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Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

Things have always worked by a different set of protocols it seems in the LTC environment. I have read that if they have too many in house deaths, they get inspected by the health dept or the Feds or something.

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When I worked in LTC, I pointed out the fact that our "code" policy actually read... "in the event of a WITNESSED cardiac arrest, the nurse will..." I didn't have monitors, obviously, so if I was working night shift how was I going to witness the cardiac arrest of someone laying in bed with eyes closed?

This policy came in handy when we had those obviously end of life residents whose families just wouldn't give up... gave me an "out" from abusing the corpse of a resident I'd grown fond of. Luckily, the one time I had a full code resident unexpectedly pass away, the family was understanding and didn't want anything done.

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