The Pitt

Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch: Actually, this is the most important person that you're gonna meet today. This is Dana. She's our charge nurse. She is the ringleader of our circus. Do what she says, when she says it. As you can see, our house is always packed, and our department is mostly clogged up with boarders. Those are admitted patients waiting for a room upstairs, sometimes for days. Beds are a very precious commodity around here, so please be quick and efficient with your workups. What else? We treat the sicker patients back here, but please keep your eye on that waiting room. Make sure nobody's gonna die out there. Your senior residents are Dr. Collins and Dr. Langdon. You report to them, and they report to me. Senior residents, you got your sign-outs? Dr. Heather Collins: Yep. Dr. Frank Langdon: Yep. Robby: OK. Let's do this.

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dr. Cassie McKay: Patients, they check in for registration here. A nurse eyeballs them, makes sure they're not dying. If not, they're moved to one of two triage rooms for vitals and a quick chair exam where you can order your labs and your X-rays. And then they come back to Waiting room, until a bed opens up. MS3 Victoria Javadi: For how long? McKay: Eight hours, if they're lucky. A lot of times, 12. MS4 Dennis Whitaker: Uh, is it always this busy? McKay: Uh, no. It gets a lot busier.

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gloria Underwood: We need to talk about your numbers. Robby: Of people we've saved? Gloria: Metrics. Robby: Our door-to-balloon times beat federal standards. Gloria: I'm talking about Press Ganey scores. Patient satisfaction. Robby: If they're still alive, they should be satisfied. Gloria: Our goal is 36% very satisfied with their care. Your department is at 8%. Do you know how likely patients are to recommend this hospital? Robby: This is an emergency department, not a Taco Bell. Gloria: 11%. Robby: Well, if you want people to be happier, don't make 'em wait for 12 hours. Gloria: There's a nursing shortage across the country. Robby: Most of our patients are boarders who are waiting for a bed upstairs. Gloria: We don't have the beds. Robby: That's bullshit. The beds are up there. You just don't want to hire the staff you need to care for them. Gloria: Like I said, there's a nursing shortage. Robby: Well, if you paid them a living wage, they'd be lining up to work here. Gloria: Our budg

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Otis Williams: Am I gonna be OK? McKay: Yeah. You just need to take it easy on yourself. Muscle breakdown and myoglobin damaged your kidneys. Otis Williams: Why'd you shock my heart? McKay: When your kidneys don't work, potassium builds up and messes with the electrical activity in your heart. Otis Williams: Can it happen again? McKay: We gave you medicine to lower your potassium, and you'll need dialysis to clear it all out. Otis Williams: Then I'll be OK? McKay: Yeah. You might need a week or two for your kidneys to recover, but yeah. You really need to hydrate like crazy before and after a triathlon. Otis Williams: Trust me, I won't let this happen again. McKay: Good. Be kind to yourself.

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

One of the things we do here is to take a moment of silence when we lose a patient, to respect their humanity. And also to remember that this was somebody's child, or sibling, or parent, or friend.

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Gloria: Is it true? ... Robinavitch: You have to be more specific. Gloria: Are there rats in the ED? Robinavitch: Apparently, if somebody already snitched! Gloria: Do you know how bad this looks? One more reason to shutter this place. Only the emergency department admits rats. Robinavitch: Emergency department would never admit rats, unless they had the right insurance. Gloria: Did you catch any of them? Robinavitch: One, and I charged him for a full visit. Gloria: I'm glad you think this is funny. Robinavitch: I'm sorry that you don't. Gloria: Did you call an exterminator? Robinavitch: He's waiting on a second opinion. Gloria: [chuckles] You're pushing your luck today. Robinavitch: Don't worry. Last I heard, they were headed for the cafeteria, so they should be dead within the hour. Gloria: OK. Robinavitch: I'll be here all week. Gloria: Or maybe not.

The Pitt, CC BY-SA 4.0