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.
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.
>>Read the full case documents here
Background
- Respondent: Winel Andrea George, R.N.
- License: Florida RN License No. RN 9467308
- Employer at the time: Palm Garden of Aventura (Aventura, Florida)
- Regulatory body: Florida Department of Health, Board of Nursing
Incident
- On November 12, 2024, while working as a registered nurse at Palm Garden of Aventura, Ms. George responded to a 68-year-old female patient (identified as Patient AS) who was unresponsive.
- Patient AS had a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order in place.
- Despite the DNR, Ms. George initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- The Department of Health alleged this action failed to meet minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing nursing practice, as CPR should not have been initiated on a patient with a valid DNR order.
(Administrative Complaint, filed June 18, 2025)
Regulatory Action
- The Department charged Ms. George with violating Section 464.018(1)(n), Florida Statutes, which governs failure to meet minimum nursing standards.
- Ms. George did not admit or deny the factual allegations but agreed to resolve the matter through a Settlement Agreement pursuant to Section 120.57(4), Florida Statutes.
Resolution (Settlement & Final Order)
- The Board of Nursing approved the Settlement Agreement in full at a public meeting on October 9, 2025.
- A Final Order was issued and filed on December 31, 2025, making the agreement effective.
Discipline Imposed
Under the approved settlement, the Board ordered:
- Reprimand of Ms. George’s nursing license
- $50 administrative fine
- Payment of investigative costs (final assessed amount: $4,207.01)
- Mandatory continuing education, including:
- 2 hours of Critical Thinking
- 8 hours combined Ethics and Legal Aspects of Nursing
- All education requirements must be completed within six months of the Final Order.
The Board retained jurisdiction to enforce compliance.
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.
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.
