2010 January Archive

This blog is a summary of the VLOG (Video Blog) located in the Wayne Grant video library titled “How Recovery in a Local ICU Results in Horror”. http://www.waynegrant.com/video-library.html.

Wayne Grant – GA Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorney

This is a story about a case I handled which involves a local hospital where a gentleman about 50 years of age was involved in an accident and taken to the hospital. As a result of the accident, he ruptured his spleen, and a broke a bone in his leg and had to undergo surgery. Following surgery, he was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). During his prolonged recovery, he developed respiratory problems (breathing issues) and had to have a breathing tube put in. As a result of agitation that he was experiencing, probably from his prolonged hospitalization, possibly as a result from the many medications he was receiving; in an agitated state, he pulled out his breathing tube.

As a result of pulling out his breathing tube and associated leads that were there for monitoring, alarms, were supposed to sound in his room and also remotely in the nurses’ station. Nurses are supposed to listen for those alarms and respond immediately – that is required by ‘standard of care’. Unfortunately, for some reason, no one responded to the alarms when they were sounding. In fact, another nurse that was not assigned to this patient, happened to be walking down the hall, looked into the room, and saw the patient slumped over onto the side of his bed. She called out and got a resuscitation team there and when they looked at him and examined him as they were about to begin resuscitation, they noted that he was blued and modeled from the rib cage up, indicating that he had been without oxygen for several minutes. The resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and unfortunately, the patient died.

Hospitals, especially intensive care units, have a duty to monitor carefully. They have a duty to make sure that the alarms are audible. The alarms should be audible in the patient rooms, hallways and at the nurse’s stations. They also have a duty to make sure that the nurses respond in an immediate fashion to any sounding alarms. A sounding alarm, particularly in ICU, means there is a potential emergency.

We were able to successfully resolve this case, and hold the hospital accountable under these circumstances, for the benefit of this unfortunate widow.

This blog is a summary of the VLOG (Video Blog) located in the Wayne Grant video library titled “What’s the Best Way to Get Motivated?” http://www.waynegrant.com/video-library.html.

Wayne Grant – GA Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorney

How can you get motivated to do the things you know you ought to do, whether it is working or working out? First, take a step back and be honest with yourself. Sometimes, your perceived laziness is really your mind or body telling you that you need a break, and it is time to rest.

If you’re rested and you’re still not motivated and you still don’t want to get started on that project or task that you need to complete, try something that works for me. Break it down.

I once had a statistics professor in college that used an expression that helped us get through some complicated statistical analysis – “By the inch, it’s a cinch! By the yard, it’s hard!” So, breakdown the project, tell yourself that you’ll do just do a little at a time. For example, if you’re tackling working out tell yourself, you’ll do 15 minutes instead of 30. Get started! Sometimes, getting started has a way of getting you motivated, and you may even end up doing more. At a minimum, you will have broken the ice and you’ll be on your path to productivity once again.

This blog is a summary of the VLOG (Video Blog) located in the Wayne Grant video library titled “What is Pulomonary Embolism?” http://www.waynegrant.com/video-library.html.

Wayne Grant – GA Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorney

Pulmonary Embolism is a clot which blocks circulation to the lungs. Pulmonary Embolism can kill you. It is usually the result of a clot that has formed in the lower leg, known as a DVT (deep vein thrombosis), which travels through the bloodstream and then blocks circulation to the lungs. There are risk factors, which predispose people to the formation of this type of clot, which can travel. The main risk factor is immobility. We’ve all heard of people who been traveling on planes and been sitting for long periods of time without movement, they are at an increased risk for DVT.

You are also at an increased risk if you have had any type of surgery and you are immobile for a period following the surgery. Doctors and hospitals should be keenly aware of the possibility of pulmonary embolism and should watch for “tell, tell” signs and symptoms, so that treatment can be instituted on an emergent basis. The “tell, tell” signs and symptoms may include any type of difficulty breathing, labored breathing, gasping for breath or wheezing. There are other signs that doctors and hospitals much watch for to avoid unnecessarily exposing patients to harm.

This blog is a summary of the VLOG (Video Blog) located in the Wayne Grant video library titled “What are Ways to Live Better and Live Longer?” http://www.waynegrant.com/video-library.html.

Wayne Grant – GA Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorney

I am a health and fitness enthusiast, and as a personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer, I’m a big proponent of safety! Whether it is patient, consumer, driver or pedestrian, I am a big proponent of safety. A part of being safe is being healthy. We should all do a little bit everyday to keep ourselves safe by living a healthy lifestyle. ‘Staying active and exercising’ are the foundations for a long, healthy and productive life. We were made to be active, that’s the human composition.

Take a look at two different people in their fifties (like me): One active, and the other a “couch potato” and you’ll see the differences. There are tremendous differences in appearance, vitality, their ability to think and reason. So, in short stay active! Get some exercise everyday. It doesn’t matter if it is walking, running, strength training, or Stairmaster, just get some exercise every day, you’ll be better for it!

This blog is a summary of the VLOG (Video Blog) located in the Wayne Grant video library titled “Should I Get a Second Medical Opinion?” http://www.waynegrant.com/video-library.html.

Wayne Grant – GA Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you are receiving medical care or treatment or have received a diagnosis of which you have some doubt, you should obtain a second medical opinion. A second opinion is important for a few reasons:

• Important to your health
• Important for your safety
• Important in a medical malpractice lawsuit

Should you unfortunately become the victim of medical malpractice lawsuit, it is common for the defense to blame the victim by asserting that the patient should have obtained a second opinion. Whenever there is doubt or additional questions arise from your treatment, I urge you to get a second medical opinion.