ACT I
Scene 1
Lights up on a hospital hallway. We see the
nurses’ station in which a few nurses are sitting,
filling out paper work. ALLISON (Dr. Blake) stands
in front of the desk, talking to NURSE JACKSON,
standing behind the desk.
NURSE JACKSON
First Day as a resident doctor. How do you feel?
excited?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Yeah. A little. Actually, Can I ask you something?
NURSE JACKSON
Of course! Anything!
DOCTOR BLAKE
Were you nervous your first day? I mean, I know we have
somewhat different jobs but still. Were you?
NURSE JACKSON
Oh heavens yes! I was scared out of my wits. I felt
like everything I was taught was completely wiped from
my memory.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Really?!
NURSE JACKSON
Yes. In fact, the first time I tried inserting an IV
into a real person, I fainted. So, for a whole month, I
asked other nurses to help me with simple tasks like
inserting IVs and trach tubes.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Wow. I never pegged you for the nervous type.
NURSE JACKSON
Allison, every single one of us is scared out of our
minds. The key is to put on a brave face and don’t let
nayone else know that you’re justas scared as them. If
other people see you and how strong you’re pretending
to be, they’ll be compelled to put on a brave face too.
DOCTOR BLAKE
I’m just still so nervous...
NURSE JACKSON
You’ll do just fine, everyone is nervous on their first
day, just take a deep breath. You’ve been training for
six years for this. You know what to do, just don’t let
your nerves get in the way of that.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s just scary, ya know?
Like what if I make a mistake? What if I end up hurting
or killing someone?
NURSE JACKSON
Well you’ve been practicing on dummies right? In
medical school?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Yeah...
NURSE JACKSON
Just pretend you’re working on a dummy. Seperate
yourself and you’ll be fine. I promise. Everything will
be okay.
DOCTOR BLAKE
I believe you. Thank you.
Nurse Jackson smiles. over the P.A, we hear:
P.A SYSTEM
Doctor Blake to trauma bay 4, Doctor Blake to trauma
bay 4. Stat
Doctor Blake looks nervous and looks to Nurse
Jackson who nods her head to move. Dr. Blake runs
OS.
Lights down.
Lights up on a sterile room, quiet. A group of
nurses rush in with a gurney. On the gurney is a
small child of about 12, a nurse on top of him,
administering CPR.
Dr. Blake runs in and is handed a medical chart.
One of the nurses briefs her on the patient.
NURSE
(Matter of factly)
Malcolm Parker, 12 years old. Suffered a sever blow to
the head in a car crash with multiple injuries to his
neck and chest area. Virtually unresponsive. Crashed
twice en route. Suspected rib fracture and possible
collapsed lung. Bruising around neck and arms, possible
simple fractures. How do you want to proceed Doctor
Blake?
Malcolm is hookd up to moniters, we hear the rapid
beeping. Allison Blake looks startled and
flustered. She looks down at the chart in her
hands, trying to figure something out.
The boys parents come rushing in.
MRS. PARKER
MALCOLM! BABY! HELP HIM! SAVE MY BABY BOY! MALCOLM??
HONEY WAKE UP! PLEASE!
MR. PARKER
SON! MALCOLM! DO SOMETHING! SAVE HIM! PLEASE DONT
LET HIM DIE!
Allison looks even more nervous as she tries to
calm them down.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Mr and Mrs Parker, please calm down. We are doing
everything in our power to help your son. We need you-
MR. PARKER
DO NOT TELL ME HOW TO REACT, MY SONIS DYING AND YOU
AREN’T DOING A DAMN THING TO HELP HIM! ARE YOU JUST
GOING TO LET HIM DIE??
We hear the beeping quicken, everyone looks
worried.
NURSE
Doctor, he’s crashing again. How do you want to
proceed?!
DOCTOR BLAKE
Umm...Can we...um...
MR. PARKER
DO SOMETHING DAMMIT!
NURSE
You need to hurry Allison, or we’re going to lose him!
Allison closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.
She opens her eyes and looks less nervous.
DOCTOR BLAKE
(pointing to the parents)
Okay, first, someone get them out of my trauma bay and
into the waiting room. Calm them down and get the woman
300 mg of Atavin
The parents are escorted out of the room, still
protesting.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Okay, now
(pointing to one of the nurses)
You! Get me a 30 gauge chest tube kit from Peds, wee
need to crack the chest and drain the fluid.
(pointing at another nurse)
Get me a crash cart.
Allison rushes to the boy and administers CPR. A
nurse rolls in a chrash cart and Allison grabs the
defibrilator paddles, applying lubrication to the
metal.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Charge to 300!
(the nurse presses a few buttons on the
cart)
CLEAR!
Everyone takes their hands off of the boy and
raises them into the air. Allison applies the
defibrilator to the boy and shocks him, with a
short jolt. Nothing changes, the beeping still
rapid.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Charge to 400!
The nurse does so.
DOCTOR BLAKE
CLEAR!
Everyone puts their hands in the air and Allison
shocks the boy again. Only this time, the beeping
go back to a slightly less rapid normal.
Allison replaces the paddles and another nurse
walks in with a wrapped chest tube. A. takes the
tube and quickly unwraps it.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Scapel!
She is handed a scalpel.
We cannot (obviously) see what is happening but
she feels around the ribs for a locations and is
making a small incision, inserting the chest tube
into the collapsed lung. Go through the motions
and such.
The chest tube drains fluid from the boys lungs.
The beeping on the moniter slows to a normal pace.
NURSE
He’s stable. BP’s at 95. He needs an oxygen mask, his
blood oxygen levels are low.
Allison puts an oxygen mask on the boy and feels
around his neck and arms. She pulls out a pen
light and checks his pupils.
DOCTOR BLAKE
He may be stable but he isn’t out of the woods yet.
(pointing to a few nurses.)
I need you to get an X-ray of his neck and arms. Feels
like a cracked clavicle and fractured ulna. I also need
you to order a CT. I’m gonna go talk to the parents.
Get me those scan results as soon as possible and I
want an update every 10 minutes. Okay?
The nurses nod and roll the gurney away. Enter the
Parents, worried and teary eyed.
MRS. PARKER
Doctor! Is my boy okay? What’s wrong with him?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Mrs. Parker, You’re son is going to be okay. His left
lung collapsed and he might have a few broken bones. I
awaiting a brain scan right now, that should be able to
tell us if he suffered any kind of brain damage.
Although, his pupils are dilating and he’s starting to
become a little more responsive, so that’s a positive
sign.
MR. PARKER
Well can we see him??
DOCTOR BLAKE
That’s really not the best idea at the moment. Your son
suffered a lot of trauma and his body is in shock so
he’s still not conscious. But once we get the test
result and figure out exactly what we’re dealing with,
you’ll be allowed to see him.
MRS. PARKER
How long will that take?
DOCTOR BLAKE
I’m not sure yet. An hour, maybe more.
Mrs. Parker hugs her husband, crying.
MR. PARKER
Thank you, Doctor.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Absolutely. If you need anything at all, please let me
know and I’ll take care of it. And I will let you know
if anything changes.
Lights down.
Lights up on the hallway again, Doctor Blake paces
back and forth, hands on her head.
A nurse walks up to her
NURSE
Doctor Blake? I just wanted to update you again on the
Parker kid. He’s still stable, heart rate, blood
pressure and oxygen levels are all the same. Still
unconcious.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Okay, thank you.
Nurse walks away, Allison paces back and forth
again. Finally, nurse Jackson walks up with a
manilla folder.
NURSE JACKSON
I got the reults from the scans you ordered.
Hurriedly, Allison opens them and holds them up to
the light.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Oh thank God. His brain activity is normal.
She pulls out the Xrays and holds them up to the
light.
DOCTOR BLAKE
Slight crack in the clavicle and a complete break on
the right ulna. Thought so. Thank you, nurse.
Allison walks into the boys room. She wraps his
arm and puts a neck brace on him. Malcolm begins
to come to as his parents walk in quietly.
MRS. PARKER
Is he okay?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Yes, he’s going to be just fine. His brain activity is
normal, he didn’t suffer any long term damage. His arm
and neck is broken so we’ll have to cast them for
around 12 weeks. His ribs are slightly cracked but his
lungs are fine, he’ll just have some discomfort and
will be bedridden for about 2 weeks. Other than that,
he’s perfectly fine.
MR. PARKER
Thank you Doctor. You saved our son.
Mrs. Parker walks up and hugs Allison.
MRS. PARKER
Yes, we can’t thank you enough.
DOCTOR BLAKE
It’s my job. I’m just happy that he’s okay. I’ll leave
you guys alone now, take all the time you need.
Allison leaves the room and walks up to Nurse
Jackson, smiling.
NURSE JACKSON
So. How are you feeling now?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Right. I feel amazing. This is exactly where I belong.
NURSE
So not nervous anymore?
DOCTOR BLAKE
Not at all.
(beat)
Thank you. For everything.
NURSE
(smiling.)
It’s my job.