Dennis Whitaker quotes from The Pitt

Whitaker

One of the things we like to do here, when we have the time, is to take a moment of silence when we lose a patient to respect their humanity. He was someone's son, perhaps a father himself, a brother or friend. Oh, make sure your phones are on silent.

Robinavitch

Why did you order the EKG?

Whitaker

The nurse suggested it to rule out any cardiac issues.

Robinavitch

Well, good call on both your parts. Nurses know what they're doing. Never hesitate to listen to them.

Dana

Don't mind Myrna. She's harmless.

Whitaker

She's handcuffed!

Dana

That's why she's harmless.

Mohan

Remember how I said you get good at spotting the fakers?

Whitaker

Yeah.

Mohan

He's exhibiting every sign of opiate withdrawal. Eyes dilated, tearing, skin has piloerection and goosebumps. Hypertension, tachycardia. Agitation, restlessness, perspiration. He's checking every box.

Whitaker

Right, but he said he doesn't take drugs and seldom drinks alcohol, so...

Mohan

That's exactly what he would want you to believe if he was drug-seeking.

Whitaker

Wow. You're good.

Mohan

Thanks. I am.

Whitaker

So how do we treat him?

Mohan

By getting him to admit his opiate usage.

Whitaker

Right. How do we do that?

Mohan

By being smarter than the patient.

Whitaker

Got it. He said he isn't an addict, so why give him an opiate agonist to treat his withdrawal symptoms?

Mohan

Because I don't believe him. And I know this will work. Then once he feels better, we can get him to admit to his addiction and treat him long-term.

Gloria

We're locking down the hospital and setting up a command center in Administration. We'll coordinate logistics, supplies, communication.

Dana

How many casualties?

Robinavitch

Unclear, but initial reports are not good.

Dana

OK.

Robinavitch

The night shift is gonna be here soon, but we are gonna need more help, especially from Surgery and Anesthesiology.

Gloria

MCI group text and email went out to everyone, including Transport and Environmental Services.

Robinavitch

OK, good. [to Dana] Hey, everyone's gonna want to come in to help. Keep enough in reserve. Tell them to come in eight hours later to give us a break. And can you try and reach Jake?

Dana

Of course.

Robinavitch

Surgery's got to call in the cavalry. We're gonna need all 25 ORs.

Gloria

Ahead of you. Four ORs are prepped and staffed, and we're working on getting the rest up and running.

Robinavitch

What about disaster supplies?

Gloria

On their way.

Robinavitch

Every patient in the ER needs to go up. Beds or no beds, they'll get better care in an upstairs hallway than ignored down here.

Gloria

Agreed.

Whitaker

There's a whole wing that's empty on the eighth floor. I don't know if that's...

Gloria

But no nurses to staff it.

Robinavitch

No comment on that one. Waiting room and Triage can go to Family Medicine Urgent Care. And we should turn off the TVs. We don't need to cause any extra panic.

Gloria

Will do.

Robinavitch

The cafeteria will handle the family members and survivors.

Gloria

What else do you need?

Robinavitch

Prayers wouldn't hurt.

Gloria

Amen to that.

Robinavitch

Keep the press out of here.

Gloria

Gladly. Call me directly if you need anything else.

Robinavitch

OK, will do. Thank you.

Whitaker

What are you doing?

Santos

Prepping for REBOA.

Whitaker

Are you crazy? Did Abbot approve this?

Santos

He said, do what you have to do. Attendings are all tied up. If I can blow up a balloon in the aorta, it'll stop the bleeding.

Whitaker

It'll cut off the blood supply to half her body.

Santos

I'll only go in a few inches, zone three, below the kidneys, until she gets up to the OR. Glove up, Huckleberry.

Whitaker

Okay, you're gonna need an ultrasound, X-ray.

Santos

Not today.

Whitaker

Have you done this before?

Santos

It's a central line. I just need to hit the femoral artery like that. Piece of cake. All right, guidewire, then introducer sheath.

Robinavitch

I just wanted to say thank you for earlier when I was, um

Whitaker

Oh, your brief moment of silent reflection?

Robinavitch

Yeah. You didn't mention that to anybody?

Whitaker

No, no. God, no. No.

Robinavitch

I don't know what that was. I was just felt like I was drowning.

Whitaker

What was that you were reciting?

Robinavitch

It's called the Shema prayer. It's a declaration of faith in God. I lived with my grandmother when I was little, and she and I used to recite it every morning.

Whitaker

"Even youths grow tired and weary, "and young men stumble and fall. "But those who hold hope in the Lord "will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles." It's Isaiah 40. I was an undergrad theology major.

Santos

I know Krav Maga.

Whitaker

Cool. I don't know who that is, but he sounds very protective of you.

Santos

The chances of this working are diminishing by the second. I'm just fucking with you, Whitaker. You're such a Huckleberry.