Nurse Jackie (2009–2015): Season 7, Episode 6 - High Noon - full transcript

Jackie, Dr. Prince and Akalitus are forced to run the ER without nurses when Zoey leads a walk-out.

Previously on "Nurse Jackie"...

Ladies and gentlemen, I
would like to introduce you

to Dr. Cooper's replacement.

This is Dr. Bernie Prince.

How long is this sentence of yours?

When do you get your license back?

Three months, and the
hospital could be gone by then.

I heard there's this activist nurse

who's fighting to keep it open.

I work with the development group.

I would very much like to expedite



the reinstatement of your nursing license

in exchange, of course,
for your cooperation.

I'm afraid we're wasting our time.

- Meaning what?
- Meaning that it's over.

I thought you were gonna save this place.

Zoey, I am shoveling shit

after 23 years of working
my ass off for this place.

Why the fuck would I want to save it?

(theme music playing)

(man vocalizing)

(sighs)

Dr. Prince?

I'm not sleeping. I'm hungover.

Ooh, okay.



Can I get you something?

(groans) I did the tasting menu at Babbo.

Plus two bottles of wine.

Then karaoke, then a nightca...

you're three hours early.

Yeah, yeah, I figured I'd come to work,

keep myself busy.

Insomnia?

(sighs)

- Rough morning?
- Oh, please. It's every morning.

Sounds like you could use a boost.

I feel very hydrated. Thank you.

Best cure for a hangover,

besides greasy diner food, you know?

You are a man of many vices.

Says the jailbird nurse.

I was there for two days,

and I don't even remember them.

Ah, what was your poison again?

- Pills?
- Yes.

I never got into pills. Too clean.

That's what I love about 'em.

It's all that magic in
one tidy little package.

Well, I don't judge.

Everybody's got their thing, right?

Last night I had the most
obvious fucking cravings dream

in the history of obvious
fucking cravings dreams,

and I woke up and I still had cravings.

How do you deal with that?

I come here.

(phone buzzing)

Hello?

The bed was like a crime scene...

tangled sheets, body imprint.

- You okay?
- Yeah, bad dreams, so I came in early.

Wake me up before you go-go.

(laughs) I will-will
next time. Promise, okay?

Hey, did you see the "Times" this morning?

The Grey Lady is on our side.

"If approved by the city
planning commission,"

the deal would transform one of New York's

"last public hospitals into condos."

"If approved." Key word is "if."

"... group comes with its
own 540 million in financing."

Who has 500 million just lying around?

That guy.

- ... so much light coming.
- Hey!

People need hospitals, not condos!

Maybe you shouldn't be yelling at him.

- He knows he deserves it.
- Well, he's just one guy.

He's working for a larger company.

- Why are you taking his side?
- I'm not siding with him.

Yes, you are.

Just like when you said,
"Resistance is futile."

The old Jackie would have fought this.

Well, the new Jackie's
too busy mopping up vomit.

Yeah, and whose fault is that?

Wow, Zoey, really? It's
8:00 in the morning.

Mom, Dad, please just get along.

Thousands of people are about
to lose their only hospital.

I'm gonna do something about it.

Let's not get distracted.

We still have a hospital to run.

This will be demo'd completely, obviously.

40 feet up this way, the atrium.

So much light coming...

And, uh, will you excuse me for a moment?

I heard your speech last week.

That must have been very difficult for you,

publically changing your opinion.

Well, let's just say I don't have a lot
of friends around here at the moment.

Eh, friends.

I'm sorry about all the
bad press this morning.

Oh, yes, "The New York Times"

contacted us about the story.

Yes, someone leaked a
confidential presentation,

no doubt hoping to stir
up community outrage,

but we've gotten ahead of the backlash

by accelerating the deal.

So what about my nursing license?

I'm working on it, and it will happen,

so long as you continue
to cooperate with us.

That's why I'm here, to cooperate.

These next few days must go smoothly.

We can't have any more outbursts like...

like that angry Viking princess.

- Zoey.
- Zoey Barkow, yes.

Uh, let's try to avoid such surprises, eh?

For both our sakes.

You were the union rep, right?

Who's asking, the woman
who wanted to mobilize

or the woman who's having
secret conversations

with Norwegian developers?

- Thor.
- Are you sleeping with him?

Oh, my God! No, no. Jesus.

He wanted a lunch recommendation.

You're probably recording
every word I'm saying right now.

Oh, my God, I'm gonna lose my
job for just talking to you.

Thor...

he's gonna help me get
back my nursing license.

That does make more sense.

Okay, I feel much better now.

Can we keep this between us, please?

Fine. And, yes, I am the union rep.

But I haven't had to do
anything in eight years.

Well, maybe it's time for that to change

'cause a union can make
a whole lot of noise.

A whole lot more noise than
Zoey can make by herself.

Confession... I am your union rep.

- (gasps) What? No.
- Yes.

It's an elected position,
meaning you probably voted for me.

Or not.

I think I voted for that
nurse with the baby arm.

Of course you did.

My point... if you want to
fight the hospital closing,

you have my support.

What kind of support?

(gasps) Hunger strike?

I'm diabetic.

(gasps) Regular strike?

I think that might be illegal
for an ER, but I can check.

Knock, knock. Can I...

(gags) Oh, my God.

It's cellulitis.

We're just putting on fresh dressing.

(muffled) Excuse...

Doctors.

You know, what would they do without us?

Please, that would be the day.

Or today.

What are you saying?

Oh, you know what I'm sayin'.

Imagine the press coverage.

I think we should do it now.

Now? No, bad idea.

No, look around. The ER is weirdly quiet.

No, we should wait. Send out Evites.

Oh, fuck Evites!

The French Revolution didn't have Evites.

Oh, no, it's high noon, motherfuckas,

and I am walking.

If it gets critical in here, call me.

What?

Ahem!

In response to the unjust condo deal

threatening this hospital,

nurses are walking out!

- Where are all my nurses going?
- It's a walkout.

Do not walk out of here!

Do you hear me?

Do not...

An ER of only doctors? God help us all.

He's dead.

He fucking OD'd.

His lips are fucking blue, man.

It's heroin. He's been here before.

Ah, the same rules still apply.

We don't have any fucking nurses,
Gloria. All right, he's not dead.

Pupils pinpoint. Let's get him in.

Okay, should we transfer him?

He's transferred. Today is about shortcuts.

- I got the oxygen.
- And I need Narcan.

Um, nurses usually get the drugs.

Someone get me Narcan.

- Narcan.
- Yeah.

- Half up one nostril...
- Half up the other, got it.

(gasps, coughing)

Do you know where you are?

You're at All Saints Hospital.

This woman just saved your life.

I did not touch him,
Gloria, I swear to God.

- (coughs)
- You want me... whoa, whoa, whoa, easy!

I can't touch him.

Where are they?

I called three different news stations.

I've been on hold with
the union for 20 minutes.

This elevator music is stressing me out.

Do you guys even have a plan?

I'm a nursing assistant.

I come to assist you with poster board.

I understand that people are upset,

but if we want to save our patients,
we have to first save our hos...

- (box cracks)
- Ah!

- Uh, this box...
- How is us standing on the sidewalk

helping to save our hospital?

If we can stir up enough community outrage,

we can still block this deal!

I could post something on Facebook.

I have, like, five friends.

Maybe we should start a chant?

- Yes! Great idea!
- That's great.

Um...

Okay, what do we want?

Nurses of All Saints,

what do we want?

Fuck Norway!

Um...

Where do we keep medical tape?

Catheters, gauze, gloves...
this is your supply closet.

- And medical tape.
- Thank you.

- Ow.
- All right, don't worry.

I've watched nurses do
this a million times.

Dr. Prince, you went to Stanford.

You're perfectly capable of starting an IV.

We need a better strategy.

I'll see if I can get some temps.

Nobody make any plans for tonight.

I need all hands on deck.

Yeah, that's fine, but I
still need more hands now.

Male, 32,

found at the bottom of an
elevator shaft, unresponsive.

We're assisting his airway,
put in a peripheral line.

I need more hands.

Gloria, you want me to take over for you?

I'll do whatever you want.

Gloria, did you hear me?

- How you doing?
- Your ET tube, Dr. Prince.

Good, yellow.

I will call respiratory for a vent.

Whew, what a day.

All right, all right, get in here.

Come on, get over here.

Gotta remember the good times.

(shutter clicks)

Man: Yo, bitch who saved me.

I'm cold.

If I take those off, are you gonna behave?

Maybe. Depends.

Well, it's up to you.

They're just gonna sedate you,
put you through forced detox.

Trust me, I have been there.
This is not something you want.

I'll be cool.

Why'd you save me?

Well, it's my job.

You're just wasting your time.

- You can't see that?
- Oh, I don't know.

I see a guy who's
struggling, like most people.

I'm just gonna use again.

Well, right now you're in my hospital

and you are alive.

You should keep the shirt.
You look good in yellow.

(beeps)

- Grace on phone: Hello?
- Hey, sweetie.

I'm so sorry, but I'm afraid I'm gonna
have to cancel our plans for tonight.

Oh, okay.

Fiona was excited, but
it's cool. I'll tell her.

She doesn't wanna see us?

Jackie: There's kind of
an emergency at work.

Actually, I think you'll
get a kick out of this.

Zoey has led all the nurses in a walkout.

She's outside right now.
She's yelling her head off.

Anyway, uh, I gotta go,

but I'm hoping we can
do this tomorrow night.

Is that okay?

I'll have to ask Dad.

All right, honey, I love you very much.

I really wanted to see her tonight.

You're gonna have to get used to it.

Mom's unreliable.

But it's okay. You have me.

I'm always gonna be here for you.

Maybe she'll get better.

No, it's part of her sickness.

What's up?

Um, I'm gonna step outside for a minute.

Everything okay?

Yes, I just need to get some air.

(car horn honks)

Everybody okay in there? No one critical?

Everything's fine. How's
your crew holding up?

The entire ER nursing staff
of a major city hospital

walked out and nobody
cared, so it's a tragedy.

- Do you want some help?
- From you?

Just 'cause I'm not standing
out here with you guys

doesn't mean that I don't
agree with what you're doing.

Actually, it does.

- (phone beeping)
- ♪ We are the union ♪

♪ The mighty, mighty union ♪

- ♪ Everywhere we go, people wanna know... ♪
- Yes, I'll hold. Yeah.

Carrie: CAT scan didn't
show any bleeding.

You're doing a great job today.

Please, I got lost looking for a catheter.

- I need this day to end.
- I hear you, sister.

I haven't been this exhausted
since Burning Man 2010.

I should probably cancel my date tonight,

which I wanted to anyway.

No, postpone, don't cancel.

It just feels too soon.

Ah, gotta get back on
that horse, all right?

Meet new people. Date,
date, date, that's my motto.

Date like you're afraid to die alone.

I was like that after every divorce.

How many times have you been divorced?

Four.

Wow, so you're like an expert...

(whispers) and a cautionary tale.

(footsteps approaching)

Temps are arriving in 10 minutes.

Can you guys hold on till then?

Both: No.

Where's Jackie?

(siren wailing)

Oh, shit, someone called the cops.

Now, who would do that?

You gotta make a little noise
if you want the press to come,

and there they are.

Who's in charge here?

I am.

These people are innocent.

Look, somebody called you guys
out for not having any permits.

But so long as everyone disperses now,

no one's gonna get in any trouble today.

Aye, aye.

I mean, thank you. Sorry.

Oh, dear God.

See, now, this I didn't see coming.

- (feedback squeals)
- People of New York.

Save our Saints!

- Nurses: Save our Saints!
- Ma'am, please get down.

I cannot get down because
I am here to rise up!

- (cheering)
- If you don't get down, I'm gonna have to arrest you.

That is not our slogan!

- She's not doing anything.
- You want me to arrest you, too?

It's a public sidewalk.

Oh. As your nurse monitor, I'm telling you

that you cannot afford
to get arrested again.

Save our Saints!

(nurses cheering, applauding)

(chanting) Save our
Saints! Save our Saints!

Save our Saints!

Save our Saints! Save our Saints!

Sally Field once said,

"I'm waiting for the sheriff
to come and take me home,

and I ain't gonna budge till he gets here!"

(cheering)

(phone rings)

Hello, hello?

Yes, yes? Yes, yes, yes.
Thank you, thank you.

The union now officially has your backs

and great lawyers!

- Save our Saints!
- All: Save our Saints!

Save our Saints! Save our Saints!

- (chanting continues)
- How did this happen?

Zoey got on top of a cop car
and everybody started chanting.

(police radio chatter)

I'm surprised you weren't out here today.

I could say the same about you.

- I have a hospital to run.
- Then get back inside.

Nurses: Save our
Saints! Save our Saints!

Save our Saints! Save our Saints!

- Move over.
- What are you doing?

My temps have arrived.

Hell if I'm gonna let my entire staff

- go to jail without me.
- (engine starts)

(sirens wailing)

(snorts)

Oh, shit.

If he ODs, you have about two
minutes to get this thing up his nose.

Half in one nostril, half in the
other nostril, and then you call 9-1-1.

Okay? You understand?

And, uh, this is in case

any of your friends need them, okay?

(laughs)

(beeps)

- Grace on phone: Mom?
- Hi, sweetie. Do you have a minute?

Yeah, I thought you were busy.

Yeah, I was. I was busy earlier.

But, uh... hey, sweetie,
I know that I can be

a little bit flaky sometimes,

and sometimes even I don't
know what's gonna happen next,

and it is scary... it's scary for me.

I can, uh...

I can only imagine how
scary that must be for you.

(snorting, sniffling)

Grace: Mom?

Mom, are you there?

(sighs)

Yeah, sweetie, I'm here.

I'm here.