I apologize if I am sounding stupid now,but I am just curious. We have all heard about the case in California with the 13 yr old,and how she is brain dead. Of course,she is on a vent,and the family wants her to get a trach and gtube.
I have several pts that are "unresponsive" meaning they don't talk, blink their eyes, nothing, no purposeful movement, nothing. All but one is on a vent, and all have trach and gt. At least one doesn't even use a gtube. She has been on Tpn for 1.5 years now for all her nutritional needs. One boy is a Dnr order, but with the understanding that we are to rescucitate him using the Ambubag, but if his heart stops, we do nothing. (I haven't seen a Dnr order like that before, and this is the first one I've seen like that)
It also says "at parents discretion", meaning that they could change their minds and make us do chest compressions. (according to nursing supervisor). This same boy had an EEG,and it shows no activity.
Anyway,I'm not seeing the big issue with the California case as I have several kids with vents, trach, and gtubes that are well...I'm not saying the words.
Errrr I'm so sick of this guy already."DR. PAUL BYRNE" is a pediatrician. He is not a neurologist, therefore has no weight in this case except for adding to the family's hope by stating Jahi is ALIVE. He's already been discredited for this case, he is of no use. He has his own motives, he is catholic and is basing his knowledge off of his beliefs.I find nothing that he is saying 'interesting'."The ventilator won't work on a corpse," he said. "In a corpse, the ventilator pushes the air in, but it won't come out. Just the living person pushes the air out."Anyone????
Errrr I'm so sick of this guy already."DR. PAUL BYRNE" "In a corpse the ventilator pushes the air in, but it won't come out. Just the living person pushes the air out."Anyone????[/quote']
I've personally cared for a patient that died on a vent (as in no pulse and cardiac electrical activity witnessed slowly flattening out to asystole). Vent just kept right on pumping away, no alarming at all, took about twenty minutes to get our busy RTs to stop in and turn it off, in fact we kept it attached to the patient cause then it wouldn't alarm.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Paul Byrne has not seen the cerebral blood flow study, a definitive indicator of brain death and hence this NEONATOLOGIST not pediatrician has decided that she must be alive. He had declared her " alive" based off media reports originally then again via a bedside visit--no neuro or medical exam, no review of labs , radiology or nuclear studies. He has been discredited by the court and multiple experts and is only seeking to promote his group and personal causes.
And he clearly has no concept of basic physiology or the physics of gas exchange regarding his statements about a dead body not bring able to push air out of lungs. It is BUNK. That's why a vent works on a mannequin with the proper settings. Gas will move from an area of higher pressure/concentration ( full lungs) to lower pressure ( out of lungs) to equalize. You must be alive to inspire air not expire air. Same reason the heart is beating, the heart is driven by the presence of oxygen in the blood not brain function.
This neonatologist is not going to offer more that a few worldly respected experienced pediatric neurologists and critical care pediatricians. The court has denied his request to examine her AND disallowed his "bedside inspection" testimony of her current condition
Apparently,an Lpn who is going to school to become an Rn,well that education counts toward Ceu's .
In my state, nurses who are in school for further nursing education can use those hours towards their continuing education requirement. There are strict definitions of how many credit hours count for how many contact hours, etc. You said you were an RN (and have been for 9 years) though so what does this have to do with you not completing your required CEUs?
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Will she "decompose" if she is allowed to stay on the vent?What I mean is that will her brain liquify?
Why does that matter....? What happens to any other organ denied blood flow? It dies and rots.Her brain will as well. I am not sure what you aren't getting?
smartnurse1982
1,775 Posts
Check out what Byrne,a Professor of Pediatrics said about the case....interesting.