MA v Lindsay Clancy - Meghan Collins - ICU Nurse

Testimony of ICU Nurse Meghan Collins, during the Lindsay Clancy trial, regarding her treatment of Lindsay Clancy: Witness Background and Role • Meghan Collins is an ICU nurse with 11 years of experience, working in the Trauma Surgical ICU at Brigham and Women's Hospital. • She treated Lindsay Clancy during the 7AM to 7PM shift beginning January 24, 2023, providing 1-to-1 nursing care because the patient was critically ill. Patient's Initial Condition and Medical Treatment • Clancy arrived at the Brigham ICU already intubated after being transferred from a local hospital and emergency department. • The patient had "coded" overnight, requiring additional CT scans the morning Collins took over her care. • During her initial days in the ICU, Clancy was kept heavily sedated so she could tolerate the breathing tube and so the medical team could focus on stabilizing her significant neck and spinal injuries. • The medical team monitored her respiratory status closely, which included managing bilateral chest tubes and starting her on a low dose of propofol. Post-Extubation Recovery and ICU Delirium • After Clancy was extubated (around January 28th or 29th), she experienced what is known as "ICU delirium," exhibiting signs of increased confusion, agitation, and picking at her medical lines and drains. • Due to this agitation, the patient had to be physically restrained. • The medical team used a multimodal approach to manage the delirium, which successfully decreased her agitation over the following days. • Sleep issues were also a noted part of her recovery and treatment plan. Psychiatric Consult and Healthcare Proxy Changes • On January 29th and 30th, a psychiatric consult team evaluated Clancy to determine if she had the medical capacity to change her healthcare proxy. • She was seeking to change her healthcare proxy from her husband, Patrick, to her parents. • This evaluation was attended by the psychiatric doctors, a social worker, Clancy's lawyer, and Nurse Collins, who attended to advocate for the patient and monitor her mental status. • Regarding her life-saving care, Collins noted that Clancy's code status was "full" (meaning she was to be fully resuscitated if needed), though the defense attorney indicated that medical records might show Clancy had repeatedly requested a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. Security and Privacy Protocols • Because of the high-profile nature of the case, police officers were constantly stationed outside Clancy's room throughout her ICU stay. • The hospital deliberately kept the treatment team small to protect the patient's privacy. • Standard hospital protocol required the nursing director and legal team to explicitly approve anyone other than medical staff entering the room. 00:00:00 - ICU Nurse Meghan Collins 00:01:13 - Patient Admission & 1-to-1 Care 00:03:16 - Intubation, Sedation & Patient Coding 00:04:45 - Reviewing Neck & Physical Injuries 00:06:45 - Chest Tubes & Additional Sedation 00:08:20 - Extubation & Managing ICU Delirium 00:09:43 - Psychiatric Consult & Healthcare Proxy 00:11:36 - Limited Access & Privacy Protocols 00:12:36 - Cross-Examination & DNR Status Lindsay Clancy Trial Playlist:    • MA v Lindsay Clancy