The nurse who treated a Sydney prisoner dying from an asthma attack denies she was influenced by prejudice when she asked other inmates what he had taken.
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Indigenous man Nathan Reynolds, 36, died at South Windsor prison's minimum-security wing on August 31, 2018.
Registered nurse Kasey Wright told NSW Coroners Court she asked other inmates what Mr Reynolds had taken when she arrived on the scene about 11.50pm and saw his pupils were fixed.
"They weren't moving and I was hoping that it would help him. I was looking for a reversible cause of why he wasn't breathing," she said on Friday, on the verge of tears.
She could not find a pulse and Mr Reynolds was not breathing.
Ms Wright administered naloxone, which reverses the effects of opioids or drugs.
The other inmates told her he had only taken his regular medication, she said.
Asked by the lawyer representing Mr Reynolds' sister if she acknowledged she was motivated by prejudice when treating Mr Reynolds for a possible drug overdose, Ms Wright said no.
"If I was unconscious on the street when someone walked past me I would hope that they gave me naloxone," she told the inquest.
Other inmates have given evidence they told the nurse that Mr Reynolds was having an asthma attack. There were also puffers in the area.
She said she did not recall anyone telling her about the asthma and did not register the puffers until later, but had asthma in her mind as a possible cause for his ill health.
Ms Wright gave Mr Reynolds CPR manually and then with a defibrillator, while also administering oxygen, until an ambulance arrived at 12.14am.
The inquest was earlier told by an inmate that Ms Wright slapped and shook Mr Reynolds. She denied slapping him, but said she strongly squeezed his shoulder to rouse him.
Ms Wright was the only nurse on duty during her night shift for three facilities with up to 1000 prisoners.
The inquest heard she was not familiar with the centre where Mr Reynolds was held.
When initially called to attend the wing at 11.40pm, she was only told an inmate had asked for assistance because he was "breathing funny" and needed a nebuliser, she said.
There was "no urgency in the call" from the prison officer.
Ms Wright said if she had known the severity of Mr Reynolds' asthma, she would have immediately called an ambulance.
She first became aware of the gravity of the situation after she had driven to the facility where Mr Reynolds was detained, when she overheard a radio communication that he was "unresponsive".
As she approached the wing, she heard loud noises, and when she arrived she saw he was surrounded by other inmates.
Ms Wright said she repeatedly asked the night senior, John Phali, to clear the area, which was an open area with over 20 inmates.
The inquest was shown footage of Ms Wright walking to the wing with Mr Phali.
She said nurses were trained not to run in an emergency setting.
Before she began her formal evidence, Ms Wright addressed Mr Reynolds' family.
"I just want to say that I'm really sorry for what happened and I've been wanting to say that to you for a really long time," she said.
The inquest continues on Monday.
Australian Associated Press
