While nervously awaiting her deposition, King takes a tumble. Al-Hashimi tries to introduce new technology into the ER.
Al-Hashimi froze while treating the abandoned infant. Mohan thought she missed something. The audience could have inferred that something concerning was found in the tests. Instead, nothing is explained. Once Al-Hashimi snaps out of it, she is right back to work. She is eager to see how Robby manages the department, access the skills of the student doctors, and implement her efficiency changes. When the labs eventually come back, Mohan notes how everything appears normal with the baby. Robby tells her it's time to call the police. The baby can be transferred to the pediatric unit. However, the nurses up there want more tests done before admitting. The Pitt remains chaotic. That's never going to change. The physicians and nurses who work here simply have to adept to the ebbs and flows of the environment. Robby believes they do the best they can. Al-Hashimi is armed with analytics that suggest improvements can be made. The attendings continue to clash. Al-Hashimi is proud to have never been sued before. Meanwhile, Robby has the actual experience of working in emergency medicine. Not everything abides by a simple textbook solution. It requires everyone to think on the fly while not jumping to conclusions. The audience should maintain that same mentality. Any case can turn at a moment's notice.
Mel experiences that firsthand. She's already stressed out about the upcoming deposition. Robby knows all about that. They can't discuss the details of the case. He checks in on her. She can't focus due to the stress. He offers reassurance right away. He's been sued before. He aims to relate to her experience. It takes awhile for Al-Hashimi to offer her own guidance. She draws from her colleague's experiences. Sticking to the facts of the case is all that's required. All of this may not ease Mel's mind. Moreover, she's injured while treating her patient. He initially presented as flirting with her despite her obliviousness. In reality, he was hiding from the police because he robbed a liquor store. The sight of a uniform is all it takes for him to start running. Mel hitting her head is an absolutely brutal image. It may present another situation where Mel has to testify. Langdon recognizes how that isn't needed right now. He's honest about his addiction. That may not have been the perfect time to make his amends either. However, he learned from Mel during their only shift together. He creates an environment where she can decompress enough to get back to work within the hour.
It's impossible to conquer this place. Dana says pediatric nurses are the crazy ones. They are surrounded by screaming babies all the time. The Pitt packs its own share of trauma on the staff. Dana talks about how she'll respond if anyone is aggressive towards her. She has learned how to fight back. She's needed to oversee this entire place. She may not know which case each doctor is treating. However, she brings the energy to provide any assistance anyone needs. Unfortunately, that means throwing Emma into cases with maggots underneath a years-old cast and draining blood from a persistent erection. That's the nature of this job. It doesn't receive much attention during the years of schooling. The experience only comes from doing the job. Robby beams with pride over how Whitaker has developed as a doctor. Whitaker is happy to start being paid for the work. He's also taken a proactive stance on teaching the medical students. Robby appreciates that. Ogilvie is eager to prove the extent of his knowledge. Whitaker still has plenty more to learn as well. However, Whitaker has become a part of the team. That's the aspect Robby appreciates the most. That deserves the highlight even when Whitaker is stuck having to repeatedly tell a woman with Alzheimer's that her husband is dead.
Santos has improved as a doctor too while still maintaining some rough edges. Even Al-Hashimi infers that Robby is trying to keep her from jumping to conclusions. Robby insists that he's not. The facts may suggest otherwise. No more clarity is offered about what's going on with Kylie either. Her father hasn't shown up yet. Santos takes that as all the evidence she needs that he doesn't care. She believes abuse is likely. When Robby examines the young girl, he notes how resilient and strong she is. He fears it's possible she's gotten tough from having to endure abuse. The doctors are getting closer to reporting the case. They aren't quite there yet either. That's why Robby wants Santos to continue broadening the scope of her treatment plan. In some situations, certainty is warranted. Robby's experience comes in handy when helping a man with broccoli stuck in his throat. He's actually doing what management wants. He's not wasting time with unnecessary procedures. The space will clear up for the next patient to be treated. Al-Hashimi doesn't stick around for that explanation. Instead, she insists that embracing artificial intelligence is the way to actual save time.
Al-Hashimi's techniques come with their own warning. She has an app that transcribes her conversation with a patient that aligns with the charting system. The information remains private. It still requires the doctor to proofread and edit the final product. Whitaker notes the problem right away. It's not perfect. Joy is quick to dismiss it immediately. The attending isn't offering it as a perfect solution. She views it as a tool that can help this place. She wants to improve the Pitt. She was hoping to get feedback from Robby. He's not in the mood to do so. He's focused on his pending sabbatical. He hardly gets a free moment to himself. He has to give so much to this job. He's in charge. He's responsible for everything that happens. He's marking his territory to show how little he thinks about Al-Hashimi's suggestions. This isn't a discussion they should be having while at work. Even when she approaches him, they are interrupted by an ambulance with a new patient. That's how this place operates. It's chaos. Robby knows how to respond to that. He's not closed off from new ideas. He encourages people to think for themselves. He wants them to arrive at their own conclusions so they feel included in the process of healing people. It's also not theoretical to him. He knows what this system is capable of and has adapted accordingly - even to the detriment of his own mental health.
Some more thoughts:
- The construction worker's bone fracture was already gnarly when Dana greeted the paramedics. It's even more gruesome when the staff align the bone in the trauma room. Al-Hashimi believes it's better left to the orthopedic specialists. Robby and Garcia know that page won't be answered quickly. They have to move fast to actually get him to the operating room in a stable condition.
- The hospital won't be providing the surgery to fix the fractured bone though. Instead, the hospital's new case administrator explains he will be transferred to another hospital where his insurance has been approved. McKay doesn't quite understand. She knows something more is happening. She's simply picking up on a connection that has nothing to do with the patient.
- Apparently, Robby and Noelle are dating. They want their privacy respected at work. He believes McKay is just a naturally empathetic person. Meanwhile, Dana calls out the situation for what it is. She hopes Noelle is being smart. She loves Robby but is more than willing to warn others about him too.
- Sister Grace has gonorrhea in her eye. Dana wants the test redone. Santos laughs at the hypocrisy. A perfectly reasonable explanation is given. She works with the unhoused community without the proper protective equipment. Mohan ensures she leaves the Pitt not only with antibiotics but several boxes of gloves.
- Since becoming a nurse practitioner, Donnie has become more picky with the cases he wants to work. He's more than comfortable dumping patients on Langdon. That could also be read as collective punishment for someone trying to atone for his past mistakes.
- Javadi is used to being the smartest person in the room. Now, she has competition with Ogilvie. Santos gets it in her head that the medical students are competing for the same spot in the program. That makes Javadi eager to prove her intellect even though she has more experience here. That showcases her youth a bit and prompts Robby to demand team players.
