Diksha Sundriyal
The Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Centre goes completely analog in the ninth episode of HBO’s ‘The Pitt.’ The staff, particularly the young ones who have never had to work without technology all around them, are still getting their bearings. So, the hour begins with Robby and Dana holding space to clarify doubts. They address issues related to pharmacy, clipboards, X-ray, and the antiquated fax machine, which runs out of ink when its paper is jammed, but there’s still a lot that remains unresolved. Over the course of the hour, new challenges emerge, and everyone on the staff realizes how important it is to note down all the details. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Santos Advocates for a New Patient
A boy named Jude Augustin is brought in after a firecracker exploded close to his hand. The assessment is clear: he has lost two fingers, but the other three are still functional. Santos quickly becomes empathetic to the boy and tries to keep him calm, but she cannot ignore the fact that there is alcohol on his breath. When called for a guardian, his sister, Chantal, comes into the picture. It’s clear that she is struggling to make ends meet while trying to put herself through school and take care of her brother. It turns out their parents were deported to Haiti a while back, and her brother had two choices. Either he could stay in America without his parents, or he could go to Haiti, a place he has never been before and would likely not fit into anymore.
Chantal promised her parents she would look after Jude, but now, because of the alcohol content in his blood, social services need to be called into the picture. Having heard the girl’s backstory and her determination to keep her brother, Santos is not too keen on involving social services. Robby reminds her that she was quick to call them for a girl’s case earlier in the day, but that still doesn’t make her any less concerned for the siblings. Thankfully, after a conversation with Chantal, the social worker, Dylan agrees that it is best for Jude to stay with his sister, given that there is no reason to believe she is not a fit guardian, at least for now.
He also mentions that once Jude’s surgery is done and he returns home, a visit will be paid to their house to assess his healthcare. Santos worries that this is when Chantal would be found lacking, even as Dylan assures her that the next social worker will likely make the same assessment as he. If that doesn’t happen, he says it would be best for Jude to be with his parents, which leaves Santos asking why others can make this decision for him. In between this, Santos also gets a chance to talk to Garcia, who reveals she has made other plans for the evening, reminding Santos that they decided to keep it casual. Later, Santos laments the idea of dating one’s coworker while treating a patient who came in wearing a bear costume while attending Anthrocon and was severely dehydrated.
McKay’s Gut Feeling Saves a Patient
The patient with partial blindness shows signs of improvement, though she is transferred to the ICU for continued monitoring, while Dr. Mel King continues to ponder her upcoming deposition. In the middle of it, she is informed that her sister, Becca, is here with a stomachache, which throws King into an anxious fit. She decides to stay until her sister is properly taken care of, but then the hospital’s attorney shows up, and Robby tells King to leave her sister to another doctor. The case eventually goes to Langdon, while the rest of King’s cases are assigned to Santos, who cannot catch a break to catch up with her charting. Elsewhere, Amaya, a woman with PCOS, comes in, complaining of pain.
After an initial assessment, it becomes apparent that her pain is due to the cysts, and Whitaker wonders if they should give her the meds and send her on her way. McKay, however, wants to keep her for observation, noting that the patient has been previously ignored by other doctors. McKay’s instincts turn out to be right when Amaya falls into a fit of severe pain, showing that she has twisted ovaries and will need surgery to get a permanent solution to her problem. Meanwhile, Dr. Mohan and Ogilvie attend to Mr. Green, an English teacher with kidney stones. Ogilvie reveals that his father also teaches English at a high school, though he is not sure whether his father is proud of him for becoming a doctor, as Dr. Green says.
Moving on from this case prompts Dr. Mohan to reflect on the elderly patient who faked an illness to come to the hospital because he was lonely. She wonders whether her mother was also lonely, which makes her think about her own single status and the loneliness that awaits her in the future. McKay shares her own situation, of not having dated anyone since her divorce. In another turn of events, Princess, having won the bet by correctly guessing the reason for Westbridge’s downfall, gets her prize money. Perlah quickly points out that she knows that Princess had insider information. To keep it a secret, she gets a fair share of Princess’ winnings.
Victoria Makes a Fatal Error
Due to the delay in radiology reports, Dr. Al-Hashimi brings Dr. Barker from radiology to their floor, where he will give a wet read of the scans and help expedite the delivery of results. While Dana worries that he is occupying too much space, Princess starts flirting with him. This also becomes another reason for Joy Kwon to prove that she knows more about stuff, including radiology, than she lets on. On another side of the hospital, an update on the abandoned baby reveals that she is being put into foster care. Roxie, on the other hand, asks for more morphine, knowing what it means. She has a moment with her family after her parents show up with ice cream.
Later, when everyone is gone, McKay has a heart-to-heart with her, where she talks about her death. After taking on a patient with minor abdominal pain, Victoria fails to mention it on the board, believing it to be a nurse’s task. It causes confusion with the room assigned to a new patient, but that’s not the worst thing about it. By the time Victoria returns and presents a case to Whitaker, the patient becomes unresponsive, clearly on the verge of death. Whitaker and Robby take charge and save the woman’s life, though the experience leaves Victoria rattled.
Later, as the woman is wheeled into surgery, Garcia chides Victoria for her carelessness, which makes her even more conscious of her mistake. Whitaker tries to console her, but he is called in for another patient. Considering how the analog system is making everyone fall apart, reinforcements are called in the form of Monica Peters, a retired clerk who was pushed out of her job by technology. But now that the technology has fallen apart, she is back in the picture, and she immediately takes control of the situation. Madekah, who works at the admin office, pitches in by becoming a runner.
A New Challenge Rears Its Head
Dana takes a break, and when Emma comes to find her, she commends the young nurse on her work with the sexual assault patient. Meanwhile, Mr. Knox is brought back in from CT. The results show that he needs immediate surgery, without which he will die. But even with surgery, he has a 50-50 chance. He asks to talk to his sister before being taken in for surgery. The doctors honor his request, resulting in a tearful conversation over video call, where the siblings promise to see each other again. Meanwhile, Jackie, the tongue patient, is discharged in the company of her friend, Jacqui, who flirts with Langdon. Abbott tells Robby that he likes Dr. Al, which makes Robby feel a bit weird.
Abbott notes that Robby’s three-month quest on the road is pretty long to sit with one’s thoughts. He tells Robby to talk to him in case things get dark. Whitaker’s new badge arrives, and as Robby hands it over to him, he broaches a conversation about his relationship with Amy. Robby points out that Whitaker shouldn’t let his empathetic nature get the better of him and should focus on his own personal stuff, especially since Amy already has a lot of people she can lean on. He also offers his apartment to Whitaker for housesitting while he is away on vacation, and the young doctor readily accepts. The episode ends with the red telephone ringing, but none the wiser about what’s next. And then we see a news report about a structural collapse at a water park that has left several people injured. And, not surprisingly, all of that mess is coming towards the Pitt.
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