FL Nurse Fined $4.2K for CPR on DNR—Was She Wrong to Save a Life?

When nurses step into an emergency room or respond to a code blue, they act without hesitation to preserve life. But what happens when a nurse’s life-saving instincts clash with a legally binding directive? That question is now at the center of a regulatory action involving registered nurse Winel George and the Florida Board of Nursing.

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recently filed an administrative complaint against George — and the state nursing board approved a settlement agreement that imposes discipline on her nursing license after she performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a patient who had a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order.

What the Complaint Says

According to the settlement agreement, George “neither admits nor denies the factual allegations in the administrative complaint.”

The administrative complaint itself recounts that on November 12, 2024, George was working at Palm Garden of Aventura when she responded to a call for help after a 68-year-old patient was found unresponsive.

The complaint states George began CPR, but that the patient had an active DNR order.

The DOH complaint asserts that George “should not have initiated CPR as the patient had a Do Not Resuscitate order.”

Under Florida law, a DNR order is a medical order written by a physician that instructs health care providers not to do CPR if a patient’s breathing or heartbeat stops.

Penalties and Requirements

In this case, the settlement agreement confirmed that George would pay:

• Reimbursement for the investigation in the amount of $4,207.
• A fine of $50, despite typical nurse fines ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

George was given until Dec. 31, 2030 to pay the combined total of $4,257.

The settlement also requires George to complete continuing education, including a two-hour critical thinking course and eight hours on ethics and legal aspects of nursing within six months.

When Instincts and Ethics Collide

For many nurses, the case raises questions about the intersection of clinical judgment, patient autonomy and regulatory discipline. Nurses are trained to initiate CPR immediately when a patient is unresponsive, but advance directives like DNR orders are equally central to honoring a patient’s healthcare decisions.

In situations where a known DNR order exists, healthcare professionals are expected to honor that directive. Failing to do so can have professional or legal consequences.

 

Understanding the Board’s Role

The Florida Board of Nursing oversees nurse licensure and enforces the Nurse Practice Act, which includes rules about both ethical and clinical professional behavior.

When a complaint is filed, the Board can negotiate a settlement agreement — often called a “consent agreement” — that includes disciplinary terms and education requirements. The nurse may choose to accept such terms as an alternative to a contested hearing.

What This Means for Nurses

This case highlights an important professional tension: nurses must respect patient directives like DNR orders while acting quickly in critical situations. Nurses live for those split-second calls—but boards review them in hindsight.

For nurses in Florida and across the country, the incident is a reminder to:

• Be familiar with policies and protocols regarding advance directives and code status.
• Know the legal weight of DNR orders and how to verify them quickly in urgent situations.
• Understand that regulatory boards can impose discipline even when actions were taken with good intentions.

 

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts below.