For the first time, a jury has heard from the Midland nurse accused of taking her patient off life support without proper authority.
On Tuesday, the defence asked Joanna Flynn why she didn’t get a doctor’s order before pulling Deanna Leblanc’s life support on March 2, 2014.
"I didn't believe I needed a doctor's order to withdraw life support in this case," Flynn said.
Flynn told the court that she followed the guidelines created by the Ontario College of Nurses. Those indicate that she doesn’t need a doctor’s approval, only the order of the “substitute decision maker.” In this case that was Leblanc’s husband.
Mike Leblanc testified he provided Flynn with approval, but added that he felt pressured and was not in the right state of mind.
"I am obliged to follow his direction under the college of nurses," Flynn said.
She told the jury that those guidelines are no longer under the college of nurse’s website. She added that they have been removed with no explanation.
Flynn has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death.
During cross-examination, the Crown asked Flynn if she asked Mike if he had been up for 16 hours, if he had a meal or if he was in a state of shock.
“No, I did not,” she said.
The court has heard testimony that the ICU doctor was not part of the decision to end Leblanc's life support, which an expert witness called "unprecedented."
That same ICU doctor has testified that he wasn’t ready to give up on Leblanc, saying he was “dumbfounded” when he found out about her death.
