A nurse in Aventura tried to save a life. That’s why the state fined her
Nurses pounce in to start CPR on unresponsive patients across the country every day. So, what problem did the Florida Department of Health and the state Board of Nursing have a with a nurse in Aventura doing it?
The patient didn’t want it.
The Florida Department of Health filed an administrative complaint against registered nurse Winel George and the state nursing board that approved a settlement agreement with first discipline of any kind on the Florida license George acquired Aug. 9, 2017.
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The settlement agreement states that George “neither admits nor denies the factual allegations in the administrative complaint.” The complaint says George was working at Palm Garden of Aventura, 21251 E. Dixie Hwy., on Nov. 12, 2024, when she was “called to respond to a patient, when the patient was not responding.”
George began CPR on the 68-year-old patient. But the patient had a Do Not Resuscitate order.
George “should not have initiated CPR as the patient had a Do Not Resuscitate order,” the complaint said.
If money talks, there clearly was a feeling George violated the letter of the law by obeying the spirit of her profession. The actual fine was $50. Fines for nurses usually range from $500 to several thousand dollars.
In addition to the $50 in this case, the reimbursement amount for the investigation was set at $4,207, but George was given until Dec. 31, 2030, to pay the combined $4,257. Fines and costs usually must be paid in 30 days.
George also has to take a two-hour critical thinking course and an eight-hour ethics and legal aspects of nursing within the next six months.
This story was originally published January 13, 2026 at 3:37 PM.
