After an explosive two-week start to The Pitt season 2, episode 3 doesn't offer up much change. The hit HBO Max show has got the ball rolling on its Fourth of July shift, and after an exhausting morning, it feels as though the ER team is finally starting to make some progress with its patients.
That's a good thing, though it certainly won't last for long. Dr Robby (Noah Wyle) is keen to make tracks for his three-month sabbatical as soon as possible, with temporary attending Dr Al-Hashimi (Sepideh Moafi) waiting impatiently in the wings to implement a complete processing overhaul.
Our first round of patients seem to be making their way back home, or at least getting some substantial answers. Santos (Isa Briones) still has her hands full with a young girl showing various concerning bruises, but the rest are minor casualties... at least, they are for now.
You might think this is mundane, and for the most part, it is. But The Pitt season 2 episode 3 choosing to focus on the little guy is a standout moment for Dana (Katherina LaNasa), reminding us why she's clearly the GOAT (greatest of all time) of nursing in one simple scene.
Dana's treatment of the homeless patient in The Pitt season 2 episode 3 certifies her GOAT status
And to think that she wasn't going to return after the season 1 finale! As the lead nurse in the ER, Dana is cool, collected, and three steps ahead of any emergency at any given time. She works in near-perfect partnership with Dr Robby, and no problem seems too big to deal with.
However, it's her humanity that sets her apart in The Pitt season 2 episode 3. In episode 1, we are introduced to a homeless man in the ER's reception, with other waiting patients quickly complaining to staff about his pungent smell and unkempt appearance. Even once he's among doctors, the scrutiny and prejudice reek more than he ever could.
Dana and her new nursing protégé – who began her first-ever shift earlier that morning – hose the man off, scrubbing years of grime and dirt away in the process. In episode 3, their attention turns to "treating his insides", with the man making an emotional admission to being terrified of visiting the doctor.
Instead of chastising his decisions, Dana is immediately empathetic, taking a quiet moment to sit with him and absorb his feelings. She attentively listens while refusing to be condescending, and while that should be commonplace behavior, it feels refreshing.
It's a tiny, blink-of-an-eye moment in the episode, but it's the scene that has impacted me the most throughout season 2 so far. With so much to take in on a daily basis, it's easy to forget the basic cornerstones of respect and understanding, even though this is something we'd expect from any medical professional.
Without overstating its importance, Dana is a reminder to show up and actively listen whenever possible. Frankly, that's the reminder we need the most right now. Not every episode of The Pitt is going to have a huge disaster or a life-threatening surgery, but we can always count on it to pierce our hearts in exactly the right way.
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