Nurses (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Friday Night Legend - full transcript
That one's mine, all mine.
- Right. Okay.
- Thank you.
Oh, watch it, those are damn hot.
This stuff is amateur
hour; I started eating
- raw jalapenos when I was like 8.
- On their own?
I get it, like a carrot
stick. Standard kid stuff.
It was 'cause my dad who...
Well, you know my dad,
he really liked jalapenos, I didn't
want to let him one-up me.
Well, who doesn't
challenge their dad at 8?
Hmm... Ah.
Hi, babe.
Uh, yeah. No, I'm just...
I'm still at the gym.
People like to compare nurses to saints,
do-gooders selflessly caring for others.
Problem with this is
it's just not human.
And I mean, how can you
not make a total mess
of your personal life
when the job takes
everything you've got?
I'm flattered, did you
put on lipstick for me
- or for the echocardiogram guy?
- It's been a long time
since anyone looked at these fun bags,
- let alone touched them.
- Yeah, you know,
you pretend not to have game,
but you're not fooling me.
Ha-ha-ha!
- Who's that for?
- Doc's orders
until he checks out your heart
and says it's strong again.
You're gonna be there for the tests
and the results and all that stuff?
I will not leave your side.
Well, who wants to walk anyway
when they got you a chauffeur. No, no.
Oh!
This is first class.
- Great! Are you ready?
- Mm-hmm.
- Let's do this.
- Ha-ha! Okay.
We could walk faster than this.
Your echocardiogram got delayed an hour.
All our patients are
smooth sailing, except one.
She's really high maintenance
even for an opera singer.
You can only ask her
yes or no questions.
- Why?
- Like I said, high maintenance.
- That term is overused.
- Okay, so one ring means yes,
- two means no.
- Wolf!
I gotta stick around
a bit for a patient.
What? You're saying past your
shift to nurse, like, pro bono?
Like an hour max, okay?
I'll see you at the Sterling.
Save us our usual spot at the bar.
- Hey.
- Whoa! Enjoy your shift.
- Oh! whoa! It's all good.
- Sorry. Um, oh! Hey,
did you happen to catch
my shift assignment?
Yeah. I'm in the ER.
Joanna, long-term care.
Naz... Oh, you're at triage admissions.
Man, I could not get to sleep today.
- What, so you've been up...
- 36 hours and counting.
- Damn, dude, nights are a killer.
- Look, I just need to be
on my feet, like ER busy on my feet.
If I sit at a desk all night,
I'm just gonna crash.
You trade with me, I'll owe you huge.
- Yeah. Don't worry about it.
- Oh, my gosh!
Thank you! Seriously, thank
you, thank you so much.
Shit.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how
painful is your sore throat?
Have you lost your voice?
One ring means yes, two means no?
To be clear,
you can talk, but
you're choosing not to?
Because you're saving
your voice for performance,
I presume.
Callback audition 1 p.m. tomorrow
for the role of... Carmen in Carmen?
My mom was in Carmen.
Like Bollywood Carmen, but Carmen.
"Wei Chen". Could Wei Chen
come to the triage desk?
Never mind on Wei Chen. All good.
"Grame Shergold" to the triage desk.
It's Graham.
- What have we got?
- Another Friday might special.
Driver in a multivehicle accident.
Thankfully, the others were parked.
Potential concussion, minor
laceration on his right hand.
Refused a Breathalyzer on the
scene. We suspect drugs, alcohol.
- Seems likely.
- And no wallet, so no name.
- I wanna go! Let me go!
- Hi, my name is Grace.
We'll get you out of here soon
as we can. What's your name?
- Marco.
- Hi, Marco.
Polo! Marco Polo!
Marco Polo! Ha-ha!
Decent swelling. Let's get a CT scan.
- Stop looking at me!
- And a tox screen
- to see what exactly we're dealing with.
- Okay.
Code white, ICU. Code white, ICU.
Security, stop him!
Can't catch lightning! Ha-ha-ha!
Ah!
Oh-oh!
Ice. You need to stay still.
Hey, Leo, why don't
you give us a minute.
Sorry if this stings a little.
Is your neck hurt from the accident?
- Where am I?
- You're at St. Mary's Hospital.
Do you remember how you got here?
- You were driving and...
- Something's wrong with me.
Okay. It's okay.
- Want to tell me what it is?
- Don't touch me, bitch!
Do you want me to scare him sober?
I don't think sober is
happening any time soon
- for Mr. Polo.
- Friday night legend.
He's already got a line
of cops ready to meet him.
- Tell the cops I'm Marco Polo!
- Polo.
Where are the cops at with his name?
Car is insured to a woman,
they're trying to contact her.
What a complete moron getting
behind the wheel like that.
Don't let him waste your time.
Every time my ma does a show,
by the end of the run,
she loses her voice.
When did you first begin
experiencing throat discomfort?
Oh, right. Only yes or no questions.
Was it more than week?
Yes. Two weeks?
Three weeks?
There are more efficient
ways to communicate.
Writing perhaps!
The last nurse, the lanky one...
- Wolf.
- ... promised me
a cortisone shot. Where the hell is it?
"A cortisone shot"?
I'll get to the bottom of it.
Okay. You promise though?
I mean, you can't be
getting too excited and having
another little event on me.
My heart can handle
it; what it can't handle
is this suspense. What is it?
You sweet girl.
Ha-ha!
Oh! Yo, Philli.
It's echocardiogram time.
I got two bucks. Cash it
in on another scratch.
Ooh, you lucky lady! Rock and roll!
Oh, hey, Naz, what's up?
Did you promise our patient
Sorona a cortisone shot?
Sorona? All I know she is a lot.
Uh, no. I said, "cortisone shot".
- She said you promised her one.
- Oh, shoot!
We talked about cortisone,
but I didn't promise her one.
I don't think. You know,
that bell was so confusing.
And now the patient
thinks I'm incompetent.
What? No, I'm incompetent.
I'll come back.
- I'll come back.
- Why?
Well, I'll tell the
patient it's my fault.
That's ridiculous, don't do that.
Oh, I have to go. Bye.
Dr. Kaplan?
- Yes?
- Hi!
- I'm... I'm...
- Another new nurse, yeah.
Nazneen Khan. I have a
patient, an opera singer,
and she's requesting a cortisone shot.
Okay. Did they consent
to a laryngoscopy?
No.
I don't give steroid injections
without doing a
laryngoscopy first, so...
Oh, um... I didn't know.
For the record, I'm not a dog.
Dr. Kaplan would like to
perform a laryngoscopy.
The procedure inserts a
camera down your throat
to examine your vocal cords...
You've been rotating between
hospitals receiving cortisone.
Cortisone is a synthetic steroid.
It mimics cortisone, supressing pain.
If you don't feel the pain,
you won't know if you're
pushing yourself too hard...
or if there's a problem.
Dr. Kaplan made himself clear.
If the scope
scratches my vocal cords,
I will destroy you.
My voice is my life.
We forgot to put on a
fresh coat of lipstick.
- Heart looking okay?
- I'm not a cardiologist.
Just the middle man that
passes on the results.
Uh, hey.
Just tell me the left
ventricle ejection fraction.
It's 50%.
- Oh, that's good.
- Not great.
It used to be 40. Thanks.
Hey, good news: you can tell your sister
your left ventricle
is now firing at 50%.
Hot damn! I'll let her know.
I'm gonna be talking to
her tomorrow morning, 5 a.m.
because of the time difference.
Think maybe you could wake me up?
What? Do you think I
never leave here, Phillis?
I'll be home sleeping. But don't worry,
I'll pass the message
along to the wakeup nurse.
I named her, you know, my sister.
- Uh-huh?
- Mm-hmm.
Our mother wanted to call her
Sylvia Louise, but I told
her that was an old lady name,
and that my baby sister deserved
something with more... sparkle.
So, we called her Twilla.
I'm gonna go visit her after all this.
That's a beautiful story.
Alright, let's get you tucked into bed.
Okay.
- Ugh!
- Oh, be careful!
She's auditioning for
the lead in Carmen.
Her voice is her life.
Well, I am careful regardless
of my patient's vocation.
Okay, we found the cause
of your symptoms...
a small polyp... but this white
patch is what concerns me.
Could be localized leukoplakia.
I'm gonna do a biopsy.
- Two rings means no.
- Well, the cells are irregular,
potentially cancerous. We'll
know more from the biopsy.
She doesn't want you to.
Well, she signed the consent form, so...
But now she's saying no.
You can't.
This isn't consent.
Okay then.
No biopsy.
Tox screen came back.
No drugs, no alcohol.
- What?!
- CT was clear.
A minor concussion, nothing
that would cause these sort of...
Slurred speech, paranoia,
no impulse control...
and his temperature is normal, no fever.
- Dr. Wallace to ER.
- Stay on his vitals,
- I'll be back when I can.
- They're coming for me.
I gotta go home.
Okay, it's okay. Hey.
Hey, where is home?
- I gotta go home.
- Hmm?
I'm just gonna check your pupils, okay?
Ah! Ah! Get me out of here!
- Code white to the ER.
- Get me out of here!
Vitals are good.
Seems like a brain injury to me.
Get a second opinion.
Send the CT up to Neurology.
I'm not waiting around
for their blessing.
Grace, don't worry about that.
Ordered a psych assessment.
Dr. Niven will be down in a bit.
Hey. Is that your blood?
Come here to me.
Hmmm... Not too deep.
You're gonna need a couple
of Steri-Strips. How did you fall?
He just... He reacted to the penlight,
knocked me back into the cart.
- Did you hit your head?
- No, I feel fine.
Got a nice shiner from
it though. Headache?
- No.
- You're gonna have to do
a safety incident report.
And I want you to go and have
a little chat with the hospital
- counselor about the assault.
- "Assault"?
It wasn't an assault,
it was an accident.
Still code white on file.
I'll manage his care from here.
Okay, no. Look, I'm fine, okay?
Please just let me do my job?
Sinead, we need
you at the nurses' station.
You take this from here.
- You handled that well.
- Hmm! What?
Being lectured by Sinead?
Hitting, spitting, kicking.
Couple of stitches here and there.
Now you know you can take it.
This won't leave a scar.
Intoxicated and high.
Why did we jump to that conclusion?
He was belligerent,
slurring. Seemed like
the simplest explanation.
And if he was white,
same explanation?
My gut was telling me
something else was wrong.
Means you can trust your instincts.
You're all good.
Oh, I got it. Thanks.
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
So, uh, I got something that
will make you feel better.
Watch this.
Can't catch lightning. Ha-ha-ha!
Oh, my God! No!
- That's not funny, he's sick.
- No, I know.
I totally agree. Um...
but also, he punched you in the face,
- so... listen.
- Can't catch lightning. Ha-ha-ha!
Put that away, we're
gonna get in trouble.
Whoa! Dude, sorry.
Excuse me? Hello?
He got here way after me.
I twisted my ankle,
and it's excruciating.
Unfortunately, that is a
super low priority injury.
- Sorry about that.
- Ugh!
Next time, say you have chest
pain, you'll get in faster.
Is illness funny to you?
- No.
- So the video
you're showing online of one
of our patients... not funny?
That's not my video. I found it online.
It popped up on my feed 'cause
they geotagged St. Mary's.
Definitely not a staff
member who posted it.
I kind of think it was
someone waiting in the ER.
Find that someone and get it taken
down before the poor boy goes viral.
Right.
I'm looking for...
"SoftTouchxo".
Can't catch lightning! Ha-ha-ha!
Can't catch lightning!
Ha-ha-ha!
Ha-ha-ha!
Finally!
- Yeah, you're here!
- I need a beer,
I need to dance, and I need
to enjoy that we are young.
Yeah, I need a... I
need a pint of pale ale,
Bardwell's is fine, shot of whisky
and another whatever that was.
There's an afterhours
party at the Liss Gallery.
Cover's a bit steep, yeah.
- I can spot you.
- No, it's fine.
I can pay my own way. And I should
have that other money pretty soon.
Look, the sooner you pay me back,
the sooner I blow it
on booze, so... no rush.
That's 15 even.
You know, nurses should
really get paid more.
I mean, at least more than a bartender.
Nursing is like hospitality except
with clients that puke and scream
insults at us all day, and
they never start tipping.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's all yours.
Send her up to Psych and
make sure you have someone
with him at all time.
- Yeah.
- That's it. Okay, thanks.
Dr. Niven wants to transfer
him to the psychiatric ward.
So it is a mental health thing.
He'll sit tight up there
until he does his MRI.
He's definitely experiencing psychosis.
Could have already been diagnosed,
Marco bloody Polo.
Take Security when you transfer him
and stop by Dr. Niven's
office to discuss your assault.
Not a request.
Okay, um...
Let's get you seated. Shall we?
He's having a seizure!
He's brought in from a car
accident. Confused, slurring,
and you got a psych evaluation?
Better than waiting around
for someone from Neurology.
That's a mild brain
injury unless you're seeing
- something I don't.
- The patient assaulted you,
- I'm sorry.
- I was checking his pupils
with a penlight,
that's what set him off.
Sensitivity to light!
More evidence of a traumatic
brain injury which explains
the seizures and confusion.
What if the seizure is what caused
the accident in the first place?
Epilepsy which can cause
postictal psychosis.
I'll get a second picture of the brain.
If nothing shows up, I'll do an EEG.
Is this a joke? "Marco Polo"?
Oh! Sorry. Should have
just put down John Doe.
Just get me his real name.
I need a medical history.
He was driving a car,
- check the insurance.
- Yeah, we did.
You don't care.
Well, since you wouldn't let me biopsy,
I can't accurately assess
your risk of a malignancy.
The good news:
there's only a small area
affected, so if it's cancerous,
- we've got it early.
- Listen, you made it clear
you don't want just any
ENT resident doing the job,
so, if you prefer,
there's a specialist
in tomorrow who could do
the procedure. She'd biopsy,
remove the polyp, all in one go.
Her name is Dr. Marian West.
You can look her up. She's amazing!
Has performed those procedures on other
high-profile talent who were back
performing within a couple of months.
The risks? It might
limit your vocal range
or worse. Or you wait and see,
but that is a gamble and
against my professional,
lowly resident advice.
I have a callback tomorrow.
You said, after the scope,
you'd give me my cortisone.
That was the deal.
That's what I want.
Fine. Bring the patient an
against-medical-advice form
to sign and then fill an
order for the cortisone.
Can't we just destroy
it without the injection?
It's dangerous for us to
continue to just mask the issue.
She will just head to another hospital
and waste more taxpayer dollars.
- But it's irresponsible.
- Whoa! Whoa!
Are you questioning my judgement, Nurse?
No, I'm not.
She's not thinking straight.
She has an audition tomorrow,
and the entertainment
industry, it pushes people.
I've seen it firsthand.
I have to protect my patients,
sometimes even from themselves.
It's my job.
I would have done the biopsy
if you hadn't stopped me.
So how about next time
you let me do mine?
Mm-hmm.
Oh! Haha! I forgot.
Um, I gotta call the hospital.
- Hey, Keon.
- What's up? I'm swamped.
- I need a favour.
- Okay, but I already did a favour
for Grace, and I'm
kind of regretting it.
Oh, this is no big thing.
Phillis, in 309-B, she
needs a 5 a.m. wakeup call.
309-B.
"Phillis Brunner"?
Yeah. She needs to call
her sister in Sydney.
That's not gonna happen.
She died.
- What?
- Yeah. It looks like
She went into V-FIB shortly
after you clocked out.
Ashley, sorry, dude, I gotta go.
Yeah, um, all good.
Okay. We have 20 minutes
before DJ Scooby comes on.
- Did you get an Uber?
- Hmm...
You know, I actually just crashed.
I don't think I have after hours in me.
Oh, that is the biggest
pile of bullshit ever.
You just got booty
called, and I support it,
in all ways. Okay, go make love!
Um, could I have a new beer?
Thanks.
Excuse me. Is your handle SoftTouchxo?
What did you say to me?!
Sorry, all good. All good. Wrong person.
Hi. Could the person with the handle
SoftTouchxo please
come to the triage desk?
That's your account?
You're SoftTouchxo?
What do you want?
You posted a video
of a young man running into a door.
Yeah, like five hours ago.
That's how long I've been
waiting because apparently
I'm so low priority.
Right. I am so sorry about that.
Could you perhaps take down the video?
There's no way.
I will send you in next.
Oh, my God! I got a message
from the guy's cousin.
What? What did he say?
"That's my cousin Devon Barkley.
What hospital are you at?"
- Devon Barkley?
- Yeah.
Devon Barkley. Thank you so much!
Did someone hurt you?
- Yeah, but I'm okay.
- You gotta keep him still.
I'm just gonna keep your head
still, okay? Just like that.
He's starting a seizure.
Don't see a focus.
Push the anticonvulsant
lorazepam 2 milligram IV.
His stats are doing down.
He's not getting enough oxygen.
Give him a mask.
- Can't locate a cause.
- We got a name: Devon Barkley.
There's the medical records.
His mom's on her way.
She'll be in your hands, so
take your break, you'll need it.
What a nice surprise!
Oh, my God, you look exhausted!
What happened to your hair?
I've been working night shifts and...
this is just what my
hair looks like now.
Nurse Nazneen, it won't make you happy.
We're not talking about this.
Let's not fight, okay?
- Let me just keep seeing your face.
- Ma, I actually need your help.
I have a patient who's a lot
like you. She's a performer,
an opera singer, and she's
foregoing medical advice
to audition to sing Carmen.
That is big.
Yeah. It's a now or never role.
But I mean, she can't
risk getting cancer
- over it, can she?
- I risked my life
back when I was struggling to make it.
You remember Drona 4?
That was me jumping from the
horse onto a moving train.
That wasn't your stunt girl?!
Of couse not! I was no one.
Listen, Naz. If she is anything like me,
Don't try to convince her
to give up her calling.
Ma!
Baby, I have to go sign
some of my poters.
Get some sleep, okay?
Grace, Sinead sent me to wake you up.
- Too late.
- Devon's mom is here.
What? The, uh... the look of drunk?
Who died?
Phillis, room 309-B.
She was, uh... she was funny.
You lost a patient before?
No. And I don't get it, it's
not like she was a child.
Doesn't matter.
I was a mess after a house
call for a man who fell
down his stairs. He was 93.
You learn to recognize the look.
Yeah, maybe I don't want to.
Yeah, sure.
Your against-medical-advice form
to sign before your injection.
I do get why you don't
want to do the surgery.
I mean the risks,
the idea of losing your ability to sing
when that's what really
makes you feel alive.
I don't have that.
I think I like nursing...
I don't know.
Sometimes, I wonder what I'm doing here.
Back home, I had a personal driver.
And the food!
No winter plus so much attention,
which I love.
I really loved that life,
but it changed
after my brother.
Then, the parties,
the glamour, it all turned.
And I was...
you know, like those music boxes?
The ballerina spins around,
perfect every time,
and then you realize
she's trapped inside it.
Sorry.
I ramble.
Devon's symptoms could have
more than one cause. If there's
anything you can tell us...
places he's recently
travelled, his behaviour...
we're hoping that you
can help us rule out
what might be confusing his diagnosis.
Let me go!
No! No!
Mrs. Barkley, I'm Dr. Shankar.
- Please, untie him!
- I'm sorry, I can't.
He'll pull off his mask and IV. Grace?
We should step outside.
No, no, no. I'm not
leaving. He's my son.
Anything you can tell us is
crucial to us helping him.
Look, I was with him this
morning, I don't understand.
- And how did he seem this morning?
- Fine. He had a midterm,
so he barely slept, but that's normal.
And is he taking any
prescribed medication or... ?
He doesn't do drugs if
that's what you're thinking.
The only thing he'll take
is Tylenol and aspirin.
Did he take aspirin today?
Yes, he did. And last night.
Do you know why he's taking the aspirin?
He's been hunched
over his books studying.
His neck was killing him.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
- Doctor?
- Oh! Oh! Oh!
Devon hasn't had a fever,
but he's been taking aspirin
for his neck. He had neck
pain before the accident.
Prep a lumbar puncture for meningitis.
We've got to move on this. Come on!
Mrs. Barkley, let's step outside.
Stop!
I want the surgery.
What?
So you don't want this?
I don't want it.
Finish your drinks, we're closed.
Jesus fish. Are you Christian?
Oh! No, it's just...
it's a dumb tattoo I
got as a drunk dare.
I hate that it's on my body.
So tattoo over it.
With what? A fishbowl?
Yes. Make the fish black
to cover the cross and give it
a tiny fish friend in
the corner. X would do it.
They're really good.
Do a stick and poke.
Oh wait, you mean, like tattoo it now?
- How long have you had it?
- I got it at 15.
You said you hate it on your body,
anything's better than that.
This used to be an E for Ebony.
just the good ones left.
What are we cheersing to?
- To fish poles.
- She wants a stick and poke.
Since you weren't
planning on a sleepover,
these at least cover the essentials.
I was once vomited on by a patient,
so I come prepared.
That's my mom's laugh.
Or mine I guess.
It's been a while.
You are so much more
likeable when you talk.
No, honestly, you should keep doing it.
Really. You have a great laugh.
If there's a chance to sing
and laugh too, that's the sweet spot.
I know I might never sing
after tomorrow,
like actual singing...
... but I don't want to be
that spinning ballerina.
- Oh, mom...
- Dev, baby, I'm here.
Everything's gonna be okay.
Just look at your son.
Look at your son. There's
nothing else but him.
How about this one?
- Hmm...
- No, this...
Try this one.
- How does it look?
- That's the one!
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
I'll get the ink.
Um, actually, I can't
do this. I'm sorry.
- I, uh...
- Hey, you okay?
Yeah.
It wasn't a drunk dare.
I mean, I used to, um...
talk to God
and Jesus in my head all day long.
Every day, every decision.
It didn't... didn't really
feel religious, you know?
Until it did.
I got gay.
I hated the hate,
but that deeper sense of meaning
how do you replace that?
Where's Phillis?
So yeah, that's...
that's why no fishbowl.
Oh, it's too bad because...
you're really good at making a
joke out of everything else.
I know.
Believe me, I know.
I don't date people I work with.
Cool, I'll quit.
I'll see you later, okay?
Grace?
I'm glad you came in, Grace.
I'm Dr. Niven, but you can call me Rori.
Hmm... What, no couch to sit on?
It's still a hospital, we
can't get too comfortable.
Let me start with this is a safe place.
I'm employed by the
hospital, but I work for you.
Everything said here is confidential.
Earlier tonight, can you
tell me what happened?
Honestly, I really feel fine.
I wrote a report on what happened.
Sometimes, talking
about it unlocks feelings
that we didn't know were there.
I don't know what to say.
We don't have to talk
about anything tonight,
but I would love to get to a point
where I can support you.
So, you worked your
first year at the General
in a really high-stress environment.
You made one mistake, and
Dr. Hamilton let you go?
What does that have to do with tonight?
A sick patient accidentally hit me.
I was scared, and then
Security showed up. I got up,
and everyone made a
really big deal about it.
- Is it not a big deal?
- No!
It's not.
It's the job. And if I was
somebody who couldn't handle it,
I would have changed careers. Okay?
Nurses take crap from patients,
they take crap from doctors,
and then we make it
about the patient because
that's what matters.
Doesn't it all matter?
The patient? The doctors?
You, don't you matter?
I know how to do this job.
I'm good at it.
Okay, are we done?
Are we done?
Hey, you.
I just got back from
dropping Sonia at the airport.
Ah, it's why you're up so early.
So, what's this crazy news?
Well, we are about to see a
whole lot more of each other.
The Ministry just approved
the Toronto hospital merger.
We're merging hospitals?
Saint Mary's, Sunny
Heights, City General
all under one corporate entity.
What does that mean for staff?
Surgeons?
I don't know. I guess it's
just still figuring itself out.
But we announce next week.
Ohhh, it's Sonia, I should get this.
- I'll call you later.
- No, I'll be asleep, don't...
There's a hospital merger?
I wasn't intending to eavesdrop,
I was gonna say something,
but then you were like,
"What's the crazy news?" So...
Yeah.
St. Mary's, Sunny
Heights and the General.
My friend is their lawyer.
I can't see how that's a bad thing.
I also can't say that
that's a good thing.
I literally know nothing
about hospital mergers.
We're told not to bring
our work home with us.
Nor to bring our home to work with us.
We're told that we have to set
our own turbulent world
aside for the day,
place it on a shelf with all
of our worries and fears,
pick it up and dust if
off when we get home
after a long shift.
We're told our private life
shouldn't affect the care we give.
But who we are,
where we come from, this is how we care.
The impossible conundrum
of caring for others
when we don't have the first clue
how to care for ourselves.
- Right. Okay.
- Thank you.
Oh, watch it, those are damn hot.
This stuff is amateur
hour; I started eating
- raw jalapenos when I was like 8.
- On their own?
I get it, like a carrot
stick. Standard kid stuff.
It was 'cause my dad who...
Well, you know my dad,
he really liked jalapenos, I didn't
want to let him one-up me.
Well, who doesn't
challenge their dad at 8?
Hmm... Ah.
Hi, babe.
Uh, yeah. No, I'm just...
I'm still at the gym.
People like to compare nurses to saints,
do-gooders selflessly caring for others.
Problem with this is
it's just not human.
And I mean, how can you
not make a total mess
of your personal life
when the job takes
everything you've got?
I'm flattered, did you
put on lipstick for me
- or for the echocardiogram guy?
- It's been a long time
since anyone looked at these fun bags,
- let alone touched them.
- Yeah, you know,
you pretend not to have game,
but you're not fooling me.
Ha-ha-ha!
- Who's that for?
- Doc's orders
until he checks out your heart
and says it's strong again.
You're gonna be there for the tests
and the results and all that stuff?
I will not leave your side.
Well, who wants to walk anyway
when they got you a chauffeur. No, no.
Oh!
This is first class.
- Great! Are you ready?
- Mm-hmm.
- Let's do this.
- Ha-ha! Okay.
We could walk faster than this.
Your echocardiogram got delayed an hour.
All our patients are
smooth sailing, except one.
She's really high maintenance
even for an opera singer.
You can only ask her
yes or no questions.
- Why?
- Like I said, high maintenance.
- That term is overused.
- Okay, so one ring means yes,
- two means no.
- Wolf!
I gotta stick around
a bit for a patient.
What? You're saying past your
shift to nurse, like, pro bono?
Like an hour max, okay?
I'll see you at the Sterling.
Save us our usual spot at the bar.
- Hey.
- Whoa! Enjoy your shift.
- Oh! whoa! It's all good.
- Sorry. Um, oh! Hey,
did you happen to catch
my shift assignment?
Yeah. I'm in the ER.
Joanna, long-term care.
Naz... Oh, you're at triage admissions.
Man, I could not get to sleep today.
- What, so you've been up...
- 36 hours and counting.
- Damn, dude, nights are a killer.
- Look, I just need to be
on my feet, like ER busy on my feet.
If I sit at a desk all night,
I'm just gonna crash.
You trade with me, I'll owe you huge.
- Yeah. Don't worry about it.
- Oh, my gosh!
Thank you! Seriously, thank
you, thank you so much.
Shit.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how
painful is your sore throat?
Have you lost your voice?
One ring means yes, two means no?
To be clear,
you can talk, but
you're choosing not to?
Because you're saving
your voice for performance,
I presume.
Callback audition 1 p.m. tomorrow
for the role of... Carmen in Carmen?
My mom was in Carmen.
Like Bollywood Carmen, but Carmen.
"Wei Chen". Could Wei Chen
come to the triage desk?
Never mind on Wei Chen. All good.
"Grame Shergold" to the triage desk.
It's Graham.
- What have we got?
- Another Friday might special.
Driver in a multivehicle accident.
Thankfully, the others were parked.
Potential concussion, minor
laceration on his right hand.
Refused a Breathalyzer on the
scene. We suspect drugs, alcohol.
- Seems likely.
- And no wallet, so no name.
- I wanna go! Let me go!
- Hi, my name is Grace.
We'll get you out of here soon
as we can. What's your name?
- Marco.
- Hi, Marco.
Polo! Marco Polo!
Marco Polo! Ha-ha!
Decent swelling. Let's get a CT scan.
- Stop looking at me!
- And a tox screen
- to see what exactly we're dealing with.
- Okay.
Code white, ICU. Code white, ICU.
Security, stop him!
Can't catch lightning! Ha-ha-ha!
Ah!
Oh-oh!
Ice. You need to stay still.
Hey, Leo, why don't
you give us a minute.
Sorry if this stings a little.
Is your neck hurt from the accident?
- Where am I?
- You're at St. Mary's Hospital.
Do you remember how you got here?
- You were driving and...
- Something's wrong with me.
Okay. It's okay.
- Want to tell me what it is?
- Don't touch me, bitch!
Do you want me to scare him sober?
I don't think sober is
happening any time soon
- for Mr. Polo.
- Friday night legend.
He's already got a line
of cops ready to meet him.
- Tell the cops I'm Marco Polo!
- Polo.
Where are the cops at with his name?
Car is insured to a woman,
they're trying to contact her.
What a complete moron getting
behind the wheel like that.
Don't let him waste your time.
Every time my ma does a show,
by the end of the run,
she loses her voice.
When did you first begin
experiencing throat discomfort?
Oh, right. Only yes or no questions.
Was it more than week?
Yes. Two weeks?
Three weeks?
There are more efficient
ways to communicate.
Writing perhaps!
The last nurse, the lanky one...
- Wolf.
- ... promised me
a cortisone shot. Where the hell is it?
"A cortisone shot"?
I'll get to the bottom of it.
Okay. You promise though?
I mean, you can't be
getting too excited and having
another little event on me.
My heart can handle
it; what it can't handle
is this suspense. What is it?
You sweet girl.
Ha-ha!
Oh! Yo, Philli.
It's echocardiogram time.
I got two bucks. Cash it
in on another scratch.
Ooh, you lucky lady! Rock and roll!
Oh, hey, Naz, what's up?
Did you promise our patient
Sorona a cortisone shot?
Sorona? All I know she is a lot.
Uh, no. I said, "cortisone shot".
- She said you promised her one.
- Oh, shoot!
We talked about cortisone,
but I didn't promise her one.
I don't think. You know,
that bell was so confusing.
And now the patient
thinks I'm incompetent.
What? No, I'm incompetent.
I'll come back.
- I'll come back.
- Why?
Well, I'll tell the
patient it's my fault.
That's ridiculous, don't do that.
Oh, I have to go. Bye.
Dr. Kaplan?
- Yes?
- Hi!
- I'm... I'm...
- Another new nurse, yeah.
Nazneen Khan. I have a
patient, an opera singer,
and she's requesting a cortisone shot.
Okay. Did they consent
to a laryngoscopy?
No.
I don't give steroid injections
without doing a
laryngoscopy first, so...
Oh, um... I didn't know.
For the record, I'm not a dog.
Dr. Kaplan would like to
perform a laryngoscopy.
The procedure inserts a
camera down your throat
to examine your vocal cords...
You've been rotating between
hospitals receiving cortisone.
Cortisone is a synthetic steroid.
It mimics cortisone, supressing pain.
If you don't feel the pain,
you won't know if you're
pushing yourself too hard...
or if there's a problem.
Dr. Kaplan made himself clear.
If the scope
scratches my vocal cords,
I will destroy you.
My voice is my life.
We forgot to put on a
fresh coat of lipstick.
- Heart looking okay?
- I'm not a cardiologist.
Just the middle man that
passes on the results.
Uh, hey.
Just tell me the left
ventricle ejection fraction.
It's 50%.
- Oh, that's good.
- Not great.
It used to be 40. Thanks.
Hey, good news: you can tell your sister
your left ventricle
is now firing at 50%.
Hot damn! I'll let her know.
I'm gonna be talking to
her tomorrow morning, 5 a.m.
because of the time difference.
Think maybe you could wake me up?
What? Do you think I
never leave here, Phillis?
I'll be home sleeping. But don't worry,
I'll pass the message
along to the wakeup nurse.
I named her, you know, my sister.
- Uh-huh?
- Mm-hmm.
Our mother wanted to call her
Sylvia Louise, but I told
her that was an old lady name,
and that my baby sister deserved
something with more... sparkle.
So, we called her Twilla.
I'm gonna go visit her after all this.
That's a beautiful story.
Alright, let's get you tucked into bed.
Okay.
- Ugh!
- Oh, be careful!
She's auditioning for
the lead in Carmen.
Her voice is her life.
Well, I am careful regardless
of my patient's vocation.
Okay, we found the cause
of your symptoms...
a small polyp... but this white
patch is what concerns me.
Could be localized leukoplakia.
I'm gonna do a biopsy.
- Two rings means no.
- Well, the cells are irregular,
potentially cancerous. We'll
know more from the biopsy.
She doesn't want you to.
Well, she signed the consent form, so...
But now she's saying no.
You can't.
This isn't consent.
Okay then.
No biopsy.
Tox screen came back.
No drugs, no alcohol.
- What?!
- CT was clear.
A minor concussion, nothing
that would cause these sort of...
Slurred speech, paranoia,
no impulse control...
and his temperature is normal, no fever.
- Dr. Wallace to ER.
- Stay on his vitals,
- I'll be back when I can.
- They're coming for me.
I gotta go home.
Okay, it's okay. Hey.
Hey, where is home?
- I gotta go home.
- Hmm?
I'm just gonna check your pupils, okay?
Ah! Ah! Get me out of here!
- Code white to the ER.
- Get me out of here!
Vitals are good.
Seems like a brain injury to me.
Get a second opinion.
Send the CT up to Neurology.
I'm not waiting around
for their blessing.
Grace, don't worry about that.
Ordered a psych assessment.
Dr. Niven will be down in a bit.
Hey. Is that your blood?
Come here to me.
Hmmm... Not too deep.
You're gonna need a couple
of Steri-Strips. How did you fall?
He just... He reacted to the penlight,
knocked me back into the cart.
- Did you hit your head?
- No, I feel fine.
Got a nice shiner from
it though. Headache?
- No.
- You're gonna have to do
a safety incident report.
And I want you to go and have
a little chat with the hospital
- counselor about the assault.
- "Assault"?
It wasn't an assault,
it was an accident.
Still code white on file.
I'll manage his care from here.
Okay, no. Look, I'm fine, okay?
Please just let me do my job?
Sinead, we need
you at the nurses' station.
You take this from here.
- You handled that well.
- Hmm! What?
Being lectured by Sinead?
Hitting, spitting, kicking.
Couple of stitches here and there.
Now you know you can take it.
This won't leave a scar.
Intoxicated and high.
Why did we jump to that conclusion?
He was belligerent,
slurring. Seemed like
the simplest explanation.
And if he was white,
same explanation?
My gut was telling me
something else was wrong.
Means you can trust your instincts.
You're all good.
Oh, I got it. Thanks.
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine.
So, uh, I got something that
will make you feel better.
Watch this.
Can't catch lightning. Ha-ha-ha!
Oh, my God! No!
- That's not funny, he's sick.
- No, I know.
I totally agree. Um...
but also, he punched you in the face,
- so... listen.
- Can't catch lightning. Ha-ha-ha!
Put that away, we're
gonna get in trouble.
Whoa! Dude, sorry.
Excuse me? Hello?
He got here way after me.
I twisted my ankle,
and it's excruciating.
Unfortunately, that is a
super low priority injury.
- Sorry about that.
- Ugh!
Next time, say you have chest
pain, you'll get in faster.
Is illness funny to you?
- No.
- So the video
you're showing online of one
of our patients... not funny?
That's not my video. I found it online.
It popped up on my feed 'cause
they geotagged St. Mary's.
Definitely not a staff
member who posted it.
I kind of think it was
someone waiting in the ER.
Find that someone and get it taken
down before the poor boy goes viral.
Right.
I'm looking for...
"SoftTouchxo".
Can't catch lightning! Ha-ha-ha!
Can't catch lightning!
Ha-ha-ha!
Ha-ha-ha!
Finally!
- Yeah, you're here!
- I need a beer,
I need to dance, and I need
to enjoy that we are young.
Yeah, I need a... I
need a pint of pale ale,
Bardwell's is fine, shot of whisky
and another whatever that was.
There's an afterhours
party at the Liss Gallery.
Cover's a bit steep, yeah.
- I can spot you.
- No, it's fine.
I can pay my own way. And I should
have that other money pretty soon.
Look, the sooner you pay me back,
the sooner I blow it
on booze, so... no rush.
That's 15 even.
You know, nurses should
really get paid more.
I mean, at least more than a bartender.
Nursing is like hospitality except
with clients that puke and scream
insults at us all day, and
they never start tipping.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's all yours.
Send her up to Psych and
make sure you have someone
with him at all time.
- Yeah.
- That's it. Okay, thanks.
Dr. Niven wants to transfer
him to the psychiatric ward.
So it is a mental health thing.
He'll sit tight up there
until he does his MRI.
He's definitely experiencing psychosis.
Could have already been diagnosed,
Marco bloody Polo.
Take Security when you transfer him
and stop by Dr. Niven's
office to discuss your assault.
Not a request.
Okay, um...
Let's get you seated. Shall we?
He's having a seizure!
He's brought in from a car
accident. Confused, slurring,
and you got a psych evaluation?
Better than waiting around
for someone from Neurology.
That's a mild brain
injury unless you're seeing
- something I don't.
- The patient assaulted you,
- I'm sorry.
- I was checking his pupils
with a penlight,
that's what set him off.
Sensitivity to light!
More evidence of a traumatic
brain injury which explains
the seizures and confusion.
What if the seizure is what caused
the accident in the first place?
Epilepsy which can cause
postictal psychosis.
I'll get a second picture of the brain.
If nothing shows up, I'll do an EEG.
Is this a joke? "Marco Polo"?
Oh! Sorry. Should have
just put down John Doe.
Just get me his real name.
I need a medical history.
He was driving a car,
- check the insurance.
- Yeah, we did.
You don't care.
Well, since you wouldn't let me biopsy,
I can't accurately assess
your risk of a malignancy.
The good news:
there's only a small area
affected, so if it's cancerous,
- we've got it early.
- Listen, you made it clear
you don't want just any
ENT resident doing the job,
so, if you prefer,
there's a specialist
in tomorrow who could do
the procedure. She'd biopsy,
remove the polyp, all in one go.
Her name is Dr. Marian West.
You can look her up. She's amazing!
Has performed those procedures on other
high-profile talent who were back
performing within a couple of months.
The risks? It might
limit your vocal range
or worse. Or you wait and see,
but that is a gamble and
against my professional,
lowly resident advice.
I have a callback tomorrow.
You said, after the scope,
you'd give me my cortisone.
That was the deal.
That's what I want.
Fine. Bring the patient an
against-medical-advice form
to sign and then fill an
order for the cortisone.
Can't we just destroy
it without the injection?
It's dangerous for us to
continue to just mask the issue.
She will just head to another hospital
and waste more taxpayer dollars.
- But it's irresponsible.
- Whoa! Whoa!
Are you questioning my judgement, Nurse?
No, I'm not.
She's not thinking straight.
She has an audition tomorrow,
and the entertainment
industry, it pushes people.
I've seen it firsthand.
I have to protect my patients,
sometimes even from themselves.
It's my job.
I would have done the biopsy
if you hadn't stopped me.
So how about next time
you let me do mine?
Mm-hmm.
Oh! Haha! I forgot.
Um, I gotta call the hospital.
- Hey, Keon.
- What's up? I'm swamped.
- I need a favour.
- Okay, but I already did a favour
for Grace, and I'm
kind of regretting it.
Oh, this is no big thing.
Phillis, in 309-B, she
needs a 5 a.m. wakeup call.
309-B.
"Phillis Brunner"?
Yeah. She needs to call
her sister in Sydney.
That's not gonna happen.
She died.
- What?
- Yeah. It looks like
She went into V-FIB shortly
after you clocked out.
Ashley, sorry, dude, I gotta go.
Yeah, um, all good.
Okay. We have 20 minutes
before DJ Scooby comes on.
- Did you get an Uber?
- Hmm...
You know, I actually just crashed.
I don't think I have after hours in me.
Oh, that is the biggest
pile of bullshit ever.
You just got booty
called, and I support it,
in all ways. Okay, go make love!
Um, could I have a new beer?
Thanks.
Excuse me. Is your handle SoftTouchxo?
What did you say to me?!
Sorry, all good. All good. Wrong person.
Hi. Could the person with the handle
SoftTouchxo please
come to the triage desk?
That's your account?
You're SoftTouchxo?
What do you want?
You posted a video
of a young man running into a door.
Yeah, like five hours ago.
That's how long I've been
waiting because apparently
I'm so low priority.
Right. I am so sorry about that.
Could you perhaps take down the video?
There's no way.
I will send you in next.
Oh, my God! I got a message
from the guy's cousin.
What? What did he say?
"That's my cousin Devon Barkley.
What hospital are you at?"
- Devon Barkley?
- Yeah.
Devon Barkley. Thank you so much!
Did someone hurt you?
- Yeah, but I'm okay.
- You gotta keep him still.
I'm just gonna keep your head
still, okay? Just like that.
He's starting a seizure.
Don't see a focus.
Push the anticonvulsant
lorazepam 2 milligram IV.
His stats are doing down.
He's not getting enough oxygen.
Give him a mask.
- Can't locate a cause.
- We got a name: Devon Barkley.
There's the medical records.
His mom's on her way.
She'll be in your hands, so
take your break, you'll need it.
What a nice surprise!
Oh, my God, you look exhausted!
What happened to your hair?
I've been working night shifts and...
this is just what my
hair looks like now.
Nurse Nazneen, it won't make you happy.
We're not talking about this.
Let's not fight, okay?
- Let me just keep seeing your face.
- Ma, I actually need your help.
I have a patient who's a lot
like you. She's a performer,
an opera singer, and she's
foregoing medical advice
to audition to sing Carmen.
That is big.
Yeah. It's a now or never role.
But I mean, she can't
risk getting cancer
- over it, can she?
- I risked my life
back when I was struggling to make it.
You remember Drona 4?
That was me jumping from the
horse onto a moving train.
That wasn't your stunt girl?!
Of couse not! I was no one.
Listen, Naz. If she is anything like me,
Don't try to convince her
to give up her calling.
Ma!
Baby, I have to go sign
some of my poters.
Get some sleep, okay?
Grace, Sinead sent me to wake you up.
- Too late.
- Devon's mom is here.
What? The, uh... the look of drunk?
Who died?
Phillis, room 309-B.
She was, uh... she was funny.
You lost a patient before?
No. And I don't get it, it's
not like she was a child.
Doesn't matter.
I was a mess after a house
call for a man who fell
down his stairs. He was 93.
You learn to recognize the look.
Yeah, maybe I don't want to.
Yeah, sure.
Your against-medical-advice form
to sign before your injection.
I do get why you don't
want to do the surgery.
I mean the risks,
the idea of losing your ability to sing
when that's what really
makes you feel alive.
I don't have that.
I think I like nursing...
I don't know.
Sometimes, I wonder what I'm doing here.
Back home, I had a personal driver.
And the food!
No winter plus so much attention,
which I love.
I really loved that life,
but it changed
after my brother.
Then, the parties,
the glamour, it all turned.
And I was...
you know, like those music boxes?
The ballerina spins around,
perfect every time,
and then you realize
she's trapped inside it.
Sorry.
I ramble.
Devon's symptoms could have
more than one cause. If there's
anything you can tell us...
places he's recently
travelled, his behaviour...
we're hoping that you
can help us rule out
what might be confusing his diagnosis.
Let me go!
No! No!
Mrs. Barkley, I'm Dr. Shankar.
- Please, untie him!
- I'm sorry, I can't.
He'll pull off his mask and IV. Grace?
We should step outside.
No, no, no. I'm not
leaving. He's my son.
Anything you can tell us is
crucial to us helping him.
Look, I was with him this
morning, I don't understand.
- And how did he seem this morning?
- Fine. He had a midterm,
so he barely slept, but that's normal.
And is he taking any
prescribed medication or... ?
He doesn't do drugs if
that's what you're thinking.
The only thing he'll take
is Tylenol and aspirin.
Did he take aspirin today?
Yes, he did. And last night.
Do you know why he's taking the aspirin?
He's been hunched
over his books studying.
His neck was killing him.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
- Doctor?
- Oh! Oh! Oh!
Devon hasn't had a fever,
but he's been taking aspirin
for his neck. He had neck
pain before the accident.
Prep a lumbar puncture for meningitis.
We've got to move on this. Come on!
Mrs. Barkley, let's step outside.
Stop!
I want the surgery.
What?
So you don't want this?
I don't want it.
Finish your drinks, we're closed.
Jesus fish. Are you Christian?
Oh! No, it's just...
it's a dumb tattoo I
got as a drunk dare.
I hate that it's on my body.
So tattoo over it.
With what? A fishbowl?
Yes. Make the fish black
to cover the cross and give it
a tiny fish friend in
the corner. X would do it.
They're really good.
Do a stick and poke.
Oh wait, you mean, like tattoo it now?
- How long have you had it?
- I got it at 15.
You said you hate it on your body,
anything's better than that.
This used to be an E for Ebony.
just the good ones left.
What are we cheersing to?
- To fish poles.
- She wants a stick and poke.
Since you weren't
planning on a sleepover,
these at least cover the essentials.
I was once vomited on by a patient,
so I come prepared.
That's my mom's laugh.
Or mine I guess.
It's been a while.
You are so much more
likeable when you talk.
No, honestly, you should keep doing it.
Really. You have a great laugh.
If there's a chance to sing
and laugh too, that's the sweet spot.
I know I might never sing
after tomorrow,
like actual singing...
... but I don't want to be
that spinning ballerina.
- Oh, mom...
- Dev, baby, I'm here.
Everything's gonna be okay.
Just look at your son.
Look at your son. There's
nothing else but him.
How about this one?
- Hmm...
- No, this...
Try this one.
- How does it look?
- That's the one!
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
I'll get the ink.
Um, actually, I can't
do this. I'm sorry.
- I, uh...
- Hey, you okay?
Yeah.
It wasn't a drunk dare.
I mean, I used to, um...
talk to God
and Jesus in my head all day long.
Every day, every decision.
It didn't... didn't really
feel religious, you know?
Until it did.
I got gay.
I hated the hate,
but that deeper sense of meaning
how do you replace that?
Where's Phillis?
So yeah, that's...
that's why no fishbowl.
Oh, it's too bad because...
you're really good at making a
joke out of everything else.
I know.
Believe me, I know.
I don't date people I work with.
Cool, I'll quit.
I'll see you later, okay?
Grace?
I'm glad you came in, Grace.
I'm Dr. Niven, but you can call me Rori.
Hmm... What, no couch to sit on?
It's still a hospital, we
can't get too comfortable.
Let me start with this is a safe place.
I'm employed by the
hospital, but I work for you.
Everything said here is confidential.
Earlier tonight, can you
tell me what happened?
Honestly, I really feel fine.
I wrote a report on what happened.
Sometimes, talking
about it unlocks feelings
that we didn't know were there.
I don't know what to say.
We don't have to talk
about anything tonight,
but I would love to get to a point
where I can support you.
So, you worked your
first year at the General
in a really high-stress environment.
You made one mistake, and
Dr. Hamilton let you go?
What does that have to do with tonight?
A sick patient accidentally hit me.
I was scared, and then
Security showed up. I got up,
and everyone made a
really big deal about it.
- Is it not a big deal?
- No!
It's not.
It's the job. And if I was
somebody who couldn't handle it,
I would have changed careers. Okay?
Nurses take crap from patients,
they take crap from doctors,
and then we make it
about the patient because
that's what matters.
Doesn't it all matter?
The patient? The doctors?
You, don't you matter?
I know how to do this job.
I'm good at it.
Okay, are we done?
Are we done?
Hey, you.
I just got back from
dropping Sonia at the airport.
Ah, it's why you're up so early.
So, what's this crazy news?
Well, we are about to see a
whole lot more of each other.
The Ministry just approved
the Toronto hospital merger.
We're merging hospitals?
Saint Mary's, Sunny
Heights, City General
all under one corporate entity.
What does that mean for staff?
Surgeons?
I don't know. I guess it's
just still figuring itself out.
But we announce next week.
Ohhh, it's Sonia, I should get this.
- I'll call you later.
- No, I'll be asleep, don't...
There's a hospital merger?
I wasn't intending to eavesdrop,
I was gonna say something,
but then you were like,
"What's the crazy news?" So...
Yeah.
St. Mary's, Sunny
Heights and the General.
My friend is their lawyer.
I can't see how that's a bad thing.
I also can't say that
that's a good thing.
I literally know nothing
about hospital mergers.
We're told not to bring
our work home with us.
Nor to bring our home to work with us.
We're told that we have to set
our own turbulent world
aside for the day,
place it on a shelf with all
of our worries and fears,
pick it up and dust if
off when we get home
after a long shift.
We're told our private life
shouldn't affect the care we give.
But who we are,
where we come from, this is how we care.
The impossible conundrum
of caring for others
when we don't have the first clue
how to care for ourselves.