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Arizona Bill That Would Require Caregivers To Perform Lifesaving Measures Such As CPR Advances

Many Arizonans have loved ones in assisted living facilities or some type of long term care facility. The expectation is that if something happens like cardiac arrest, staff can assist by performing CPR.  That might not always be the case. But a bill in the state Legislature could change how caregivers respond.

According to supporters of House Bill 2260, some caregivers are calling 911 and not always providing assistance right away — and withholding CPR can be fatal.

A woman named Ally Peterson testified that her father died in a facility after staff failed to perform CPR when he stopped breathing.

"Stated in the 911 call they knew he was not breathing," she told lawmakers. "This facility was regulated by Arizona Department of Health Services. They all knew how to do CPR there was someone there who knew how. This bill requires them to hold someone liable for not doing that CPR."

Opponents argued that caregivers are not equipped to make medical assessment like in the case of a fall. The bill passed, however, the bill’s sponsor has agreed to make changes to the measure before it goes to the House floor. 

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.