Have we seen this kind of thing before?

Will the psycho who stabbed Lucy and Carter get shot by the police and end up in the ER needing to be saved. This must be a recurring theme on many medical shows and EMT/Police shows. But in this case it would be interesting to see what would happen. I would think Kerri would be the only one who could deal with the emotions of the moment and help the guy. Any thoughts?.. especially from those of you who are in the medical profession.

Neil

-- Neil (neilvar@hotmail.com), February 12, 2000

Answers

I'm a nurse and have worked the Emergency Room before, but it's not quite as busy as County General. However although emotions do get in the way sometimes you have to remember you took an oath and your life revolves around helping others. However, I did love the episode's when Elizabeth Corday was really ticked at that rapist and said she would let him die. Around here if a doctor had said that it they would be in another state looking for a job.

-- mckenzie (cwbsierraangel@aol.com), February 12, 2000.

I think we have seen this before I think on season three with the black intern, but Benton was mean and Carter thought he ended up killing himself. Benton got mad and ignored him the same day. Well, did it not seem the same was with Carter on the day they where stabbed All I can say is I hope the writers make him more remorseful because Carter blamed Benton, well now I think he will have to blame himself he has done just what the character of Benton did. Carter got mad when Lucy didn't do something just as she was about to just like the other intern. what is with reusing the same storylines lately I really Don't like it.

-- heather (disneybaby@juno.com), February 12, 2000.

I doubt Weaver would be the only one capable of dealing with the situation. We've consistently seen the characters put emotions aside and deal with the situation at hand; that's pretty much a requirement for the job. You don't work friends, and you don't work family, but sometimes you don't have a choice. You get through it because the person on the ground/table needs you, and you deal with it afterwards.

I've heard people describing it as box: you lock your grief and emotions away in that box because if you don't, the tragedy of what has already happened stands to become even worse. Only when you don't have to perform do you unlock that box and deal with what's happened. Some people are naturally better at it than others; just because Weaver's clueless about morale in the department and is channelling Dilbert's boss a lot of the time doesn't mean she doesn't care and won't have strong reactions to what happened.

Don't forget what happened when Carol OD'd and ended up in the emergency department. Same problem. Didn't paralyze everyone, and Kerry certainly wasn't the only one working the case.

-- Mike Sugimoto (phloem@fumbling.com), February 13, 2000.

Do you remember Benton missing his mother's birthday party because he had to perform emergency surgery on an ER patient with racial slurs tatooed on his body? He said they were there to save lives, not judge the judge the morals of those who needed their help.

-- Deb (KHege@AOL.com), February 14, 2000.