When a nearby hospital unexpectedly closes, Robby and his team take charge of the area's emergency cases - including a parkour mishap and a rare heart attack. Then, Langdon learns of Javadi's growing social media following.
Whitaker lost a patient during the first hours of his emergency rotation in the Pitt. He never wanted to make the same mistake again. It becomes uplifting when he makes a remarkable save that other physicians missed. He sees the potential warning signs of a posterior STEMI more acutely. He recognizes the dangers. It requires swift action. The patient complains about sitting up for so long. Whitaker follows his gut. He was right. Robby concurred with his judgment. After receiving that approval, Whitaker didn't wait for Jesse to return to help him with the wires. He struggled but still got the results in time. One shock was still rendered. The patient survived because of Whitaker's intervention. This moment serves as a celebration for the character. Sure, he may still be awkward at times. However, he's earning his place in the Pitt. The seasoned veterans look at him skeptically as they gather around Ahmad's betting board. Whitaker has the funds to partake now. It would be miraculous if his bet was correct. The staff receive no greater clarity about what's happening at Westbridge. As such, anything remains possible.
Whitaker has actively taken it upon himself to teach too. He informs the medical students about the culture of the Pitt. He sets them up so they too have the potential to thrive. Joy is momentarily sidelined after getting cut removing glass from a patient. Meanwhile, Oglivie's giddy at the possibility of performing a procedure. His smile is unnerving. He shouldn't be happy about it. He benefits from someone else's misfortune. He's really good at recognizing his space in the world. He's not particularly interested in the other people around him. He grins when Joy's injured. She will no longer be constantly teasing him. He doesn't apologize when he gets in the way while McKay is assessing the patient. Instead, he's only looking for what he can do next. He's excited by getting to do an intubation and chest compressions. He expects praise and recognition when done well. They are absolutely life-saving measures. They are just one piece of the puzzle. He wants to stand out even though it's expected of him to work as a team. The Pitt is no place for ego. Everything has to go right to save a life. Even then, it's an insanely difficult task. Oglivie demands attention instead of learning how to operate in this environment.
It's not the emergency department's responsibility to remove a large piece of glass from the body. It's up to surgery to decide how to proceed and then execute it. The situation worsens because it's the first week of a new rotation. The start of July is when the med students and residents advance to the next year of their training. Coupled with a holiday weekend, that means a new radiologist misses something in the scan. The emergency staff did as well. It was aggravated by the movement. The majority saw a life that needed to be saved immediately. Oglivie saw a procedure he was eager to do. He doesn't listen. Removing the glass just a little bit endangers the patient. He starts bleeding immensely. Robby and McKay have the tools to pack the wound and get him to surgery. The patient doesn't die. This moment could humble Oglivie. It showcases the dangers of being too eager without recognizing the humanity of this work. It's also a missed teaching moment. McKay and Garcia chastise Oglivie for his mistake. Robby informs him of the separation between emergency and surgery. This rotation requires Oglivie to be an emergency physician. That's all that Robby offers though. When Whitaker lost a patient, he provided comfort. That was reciprocated later on. Here, it's obvious everyone is annoyed with Oglivie and want to knock him down a peg. That doesn't necessarily guarantee a better outcome next time though.
Robby just wants to get through this shift. He's basically punishing Langdon by keeping him in triage. Dana and Al-Hashimi see the benefits of having another set of hands back in the ER. Everything's only going to get more chaotic with Westbridge closed to trauma. Robby doesn't want to be around Langdon. He's not ready to have a conversation. Some clarity is provided about Robby treating his mental health. He hasn't landed on a therapist that works for him yet. None of his underlying issues have been addressed. Instead, he's self-healing through his sabbatical. Zoom therapy is too much of a commitment. That's planning for the future. Right now, he needs to remain focused on the job. A lively case has just returned. One of Langdon's first patients has come back with a rapidly-spreading bacteria immune to antibiotics. Langdon took this shift because another doctor called out. He was available. He was willing to work. This is his first time back. He's making his rounds of apologies. He wants to talk. Al-Hashimi commends him on seeking help. He's committed to the program. Robby may only see the mistakes. He may never be able to forgive. Langdon was his guy and he let him down. All of that is bubbling to the surface every time Robby even sees Langdon.
Avoiding difficult conversations doesn't make anything better. Prolonging the inevitably may actually make things worse. Al-Hashimi talks to Santos about the importance of concise and immediate charting. That could derail her second year of residency if she's not too careful. Santos already feels overwhelmed. She's behind while aspiring to do a joint emergency-surgical fellowship. That's unrealistic. Meanwhile, her peers are catching things that she's not. Whitaker noticed the posterior STEMI. Mel recognized pneumonia caused by bulimia. Santos isn't the only impressive person in this place. She takes her frustrations out on other people. Whitaker feels them more because they live together. Santos shares details about Whitaker's personal life. She strives for control. It may be futile. The situation requires her to improve herself first. That's the only way she will effectively be able to treat others. The patients keep coming. The staff are tasked with doing their best. They each have the potential to be distracted. They may fail. That's a terrifying prospect. It's also one that applies on a case-by-case basis. The staff benefit from working as a team where they are open to suggestions and call out potential mistakes. Santos needed to report Langdon for him to handle his addiction and come back to work. However, his lingering presence has only added to her stress during this shift.
Some more thoughts:
- Orlando has been rationing his insulin. The family doesn't have health insurance. He's risked his own health in order to provide for his family. Mohan is sympathetic to the situation. She has Noelle access their options. She isn't particularly helpful though. The daughter wants to start a GoFundMe for her dad. Yet Orlando remains too proud to accept what he deems charity.
- The tests on Jackson keep coming back normal. He tested negative for drugs. Nothing concerning showed up on his CT scan. Javadi and Al-Hashimi perform a spinal tap. However, the situation increasingly feels like he's suffering from his first psychotic episode. His sister arrives for support. She's just as confused. Plus, the family situation seems complicated.
- The treatments provided to Louie so far are temporary. He needs to stop drinking and see a dentist to have his tooth removed. He's a frequent flyer in the Pitt. He expects them to bandage him up and help him out. Time may be running out. More details of his background as a groundskeeper are shared. That may be a warning sign that he may die during this shift.
- The narrative delves into the world of content creation. A parkour accident results in a dangerous visit to the ER. The guy's friend believes she should still be filming. That's not helpful to the situation. Meanwhile, Langdon learns Javadi has amassed a following online through her persona as "Doctor J." Simply being visible on that platform ascribes expertise and authority to her that she doesn't ordinary have.
- Mel was aware her criminal patient was flirting with her. She wasn't oblivious. She simply perked up at boba and the renaissance fair. It's also notable that the female staff repeatedly have to endure with flirtatious comments. They don't always dismiss them out of hand. McKay schedules a date. It can still be unnerving and a way to diminish their medical expertise.
- Donnie may have become a nurse practitioner but he's still learning how to interact with patients. Harlow is finally being treated. Donnie interacts with the interpreter instead of the patient. Instead, it's on the patient to advocate for herself. That's in addition to all the additional delays to accommodate her when she's not feeling well.
- An update is finally provided to explain Dr. Collins' absence this season. She has finished her residency and accepted an attending position in Portland. She moved there to be near family while she adopts a baby. That's the resolution to her story. It's unfortunate how so much is framed around Robby's response though. He needs to be listening in when Whitaker tells Louie.
