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Today's article is about, “Was Grace Schara Euthanized in ICU? Shocking Verdict Ends Informed Consent in Hospitals”

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Was Grace Schara Euthanized in ICU? Shocking Verdict Ends Informed Consent in Hospitals
 

“Was Grace Schara euthanized in ICU? Shocking verdict ends informed consent in hospitals.”

My name is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com, where we instantly improve the lives for families in intensive care so that you can make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, and influence, so that your loved one always gets best care and treatment, and that you can influence decision making fast even if you’re not a doctor or a nurse in intensive care.

Today’s topic is, “Was Grace Schara euthanized in ICU? Shocking verdict ends informed consent in hospitals.” So, some of you may have followed the Grace Schara case in Wisconsin in the United States. I’ve had Grace’s dad on my podcast a while ago, Scott Schara. Scott has been taking the hospital to court as he was having evidence that the hospital euthanized his daughter. But let’s look at the verdict and the case in more detail today.

So, this blog post today is actually deeply disturbing and should alarm anyone with a loved one in the hospital, especially in intensive care in Wisconsin. Scott Schara’s daughter, Grace, died in a hospital ICU after being given a combination of lorazepam, Precedex, morphine, midazolam and fentanyl while on BIPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure).

If you know anything about those drugs and medications and the impact they have on respiratory drive, you know this is not standard. This drug combination, especially in a vulnerable patient on BIPAP, suppresses breathing to the point of death. So yes, the question must be asked, “Was this euthanasia?”

Also, for anyone who is not familiar with the case, Grace Schara was 19 years of age, 19. So, this is a teenager that was basically killed by the hospital system and all evidence points towards it. Scott and his legal team took this case to trial in Wisconsin in the U.S. The trial lasted almost 3 weeks. 

The jury deliberated for only 15 minutes before ruling in favor of the defense, i.e. the hospital. Let that sink in, 15 minutes after 3 weeks of evidence, expert testimony, and argument. Scott’s team had stronger witnesses, better experts and most importantly, the truth on their side, but in the end it didn’t matter.

Here’s why the verdict is terrifying. Defense claimed implied consent by simply being in a hospital. They argued no informed consent is necessary for the medications to be given, even those that led to Grace’s death. They stated that the DNI (do not intubate) equals a DNR (do not resuscitate), which is absolutely incorrect and medically unethical.

So, let me explain that. The DNI, which stands for do not intubate, means that a patient may opt out of intubation and mechanical ventilation if they wanted to, but that doesn’t rule out the DNR, which is a do not resuscitate. The two are somewhat related but are also very different.

Worst of all, the expert claimed that the doctor can place a DNR unilaterally without consent, without a witness, without a signature, and without informing the family, no bracelet, no notification, nothing. This is a chilling precedent. If this verdict stands, then informed consent in hospitals is dead. Families are no longer part of the decision-making process, and doctors can make life-ending decisions without your knowledge or approval.

That is exactly what we warn families about every day at intensivecarehotline.com. Once your loved one is in ICU, you must assume control. You must question everything, and you must never blindly trust the system. As I always say, the ICU has its own agenda. It’s up to you to protect your family member.

Grace was given a cocktail of drugs known to suppress respiration. She was already vulnerable. There was no informed consent. Her father was removed from the room, then she died. If that doesn’t sound like euthanasia, then what does? Keep in mind, euthanasia is illegal and euthanasia is the hastening of death. Those medications that I just mentioned, lorazepam, midazolam, fentanyl, morphine, Precedex, they can hasten death if someone is not ventilated with a breathing tube.

We stand with the Schara family here and encourage everyone to watch Scott’s breakdown of the verdict in the video that I will link in the written version of this blog. This case should shock the conscience of every ICU family advocate. We must not let this become the norm. Informed consent must be protected, family input must be respected, and unilaterally in our decisions by hospitals in Wisconsin must never be allowed.

If you’re in a similar situation, don’t wait. Reach out to us at intensivecarehotline.com, where we advocate for families in intensive care 24/7.

With this shocking verdict, the warning is clear. If it happened to Grace, it can happen to anyone. Be informed, be strong, be in control, and get consulting and advocacy from Day 1 when you have a loved one critically ill in intensive care. Most of all, get access to the medical records so you can actually see what’s happening in real time.

I have worked in critical care nursing for 25 years in three different countries where I worked as a nurse manager for over 5 years in intensive care. I’ve been consulting and advocating for families in intensive care since 2013 here at intensivecarehotline.com. I can very confidently say that we have saved many lives with our consulting and advocacy because of our insights. You can verify that on our testimonial section at intensivecarehotline.com. You can verify it on our intensivecarehotline.com podcast section where we have done client interviews because our advice is absolutely life changing.

The biggest challenge for families in intensive care is simply that they don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know what to look for. They don’t know what questions to ask. They don’t know their rights, and they don’t know how to manage doctors and nurses in intensive care.

That’s why we help you to improve your life instantly, making sure you make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power, and influence, making sure your loved one gets best care and treatment always. That’s why you can join a growing number of members and clients that we have helped over the years, saving their loved ones’ lives.

That’s why I do one on one consulting and advocacy over the phone, Zoom, WhatsApp, whichever medium works best for you. I talk to you and your families directly. I handhold you through this once in a lifetime situation that you simply cannot afford to get wrong. When I talk to families directly, I also talk to doctors and nurses directly, asking all the questions that you haven’t even considered asking but must be asked when you have a loved one critically ill in intensive care.

I also represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams.

We also do medical record reviews in real time so that you can get a second opinion in real time. We also do medical record reviews after intensive care if in case you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are suspecting medical negligence.

We also have a membership for families of critically ill patients in intensive care, and you can become a member if you go to intensivecarehotline.com, if you intensivecarehotline.com, if you click on the membership link, or if you go to intensivecaresupport.org directly. In the membership, you have access to me and my team, 24 hours a day, in the membership area and via email, and we answer all questions intensive care related. In the membership, you also have exclusive access to 21 eBooks and 21 videos that I have personally written and recorded. All of that will help you to improve your life instantly, make informed decisions, have peace of mind, control, power and influence, making sure your loved one gets best care and treatment always.

All of that you get at intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to support@intensivecarehotline.com with your questions.

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Thank you so much for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.

Take care for now.

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