I was recently seen in the emergency room for coughing up blood. I was admitted to the hospital and was told that I needed a broncoscapy to see where the bleeding was coming from and to see if my sarcoid was getting worse. During the procedure my lung was punctured and collapsed but I didn't find out until I was being discharged 2 days later. This required emergency surgery in my hospital room where they made a cut on my left rib and inserted a tube to re-inflate my left lung. After returning home on the following week-end I'm not sure if I should be returning to work on Monday or should I have my follow-up appointment with primary doctor to be cleared for work and or should I seek a mal-practice attorney for advice on when I should return?

You need to wait for medical clearance from your doctor before returning to work.

There is no need for a medical malpractice attorney as this is a common complication of the brocoscopy and should be clearly spelled out in the consent you signed.

The malpractice is not so much from the punctured lung but the way I was being discharged without consideration of my vitals and not informing the doctor of my discomfort. My discharge papers were signed and I was waiting at the elevator getting ready to leave. I was re-entered into the system. Should I have to pay for that? But thank you for my confirmation to my question. I will get the clear from the doctor today before going into work.

Why were you re-entered into the system? Was it obvious you were not stable for discharge? Yes, you will still have to pay for that.

I still don't see a reason for a malpractice suit. Although I am a nurse now, in my past life, about 10 years ago, I was a medical malpractice researcher. Can you clear this up for me?