Las Vegas is the place Americans go to take chances, but those risks aren't always at the gaming tables. The University Medical Center deals with trauma victims from the streets, highways, and desert.
University Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey, is a state-of-the-art trauma center. Meet the largely local staff of this ER, learn about the influences that led them where they are, and watch them work.
Mayhem California-style is part of life at the UC Medical Center in Sacramento, California. Many of the patients were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The staff makes these situations their work.
At Charity Hospital in New Orleans, the staff are on the front lines of a brutal way of life. They treat the shot, stabbed, beaten, abused, and neglected who are brought in from the streets of "The Big Easy."
Each member of the trauma team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has their own approach to their work. Meet this diverse group--from the mentoring head of the ER to the insecure resident.
When people are injured by drunks it isn't simply an accident. At MetroHealth Hospital, 60% of traumas are alcohol related and more than half are from car crashes. See how the staff deals with their work.
Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in America. People come for work, fame and fortune, or to retire. Get an up close look at the staff and their work at the Las Vegas University Medical Center ER.
Learn what a typical day's worth of trauma cases are like at Newark's University Hospital. The common thread is that the victims are young people, vulnerable to their inexperience in many aspects of life.
At the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, learn what it takes to be an ER doctor. The skills include dealing with life and death decisions, working in controlled chaos, and handling tragedy.
Charity Hospital in New Orleans offers medical care to anyone in need. In a city known for architectural majesty and Southern sophistication, New Orleans has a lesser known face as well-one of poverty and violence.
Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center is the setting for family drama when victims of domestic violence are treated for life-threatening wounds.
The wealthy and prestigious image of Los Angeles is a stark contrast to the reality of daily life at King Drew Medical Center in South Central LA. Dedicated doctors treat a never-ending stream of patients struggling to survive on the streets.
The Hawaiian Islands offer serenity and beauty, but with certain risks. At Queens Medical Center in Honolulu, a woman is treated after being dragged by surf across sharp lava rock.
Detroit Receiving Hospital is under constant barrage of medical emergencies and trauma patients. The trauma team runs like a well-tuned engine, adeptly handling everything that comes through the door.
Albuquerque's University of New Mexico Hospital, the only facility of its kind in the state, sees the reckless traditions of the Wild West continue.
The University of Tennessee Medical Center mirrors the contrasts of its home city, Memphis. A traditional Southern town, Memphis has become a hub for digital technology, but when tragedy strikes, families close ranks in support.
The staff at St. Vincent's Emergency Room is as unusual as their patients are, but this eclectic and talented group can handle any curve thrown at them by the city that never sleeps.
For two female doctors at King Drew Medical Center in South Central Los Angeles, the line between professionalism and personal involvement is shattered when a crack baby and a toddler nearly drowned in a swimming pool are the patients.
On the charmed island of Hawaii, no one expects to end up in the trauma bay of the Queen's Medical Center. The dedicated professionals of Queen's, from the trauma surgeon to the ER nurse, are committed to the Center's mission to serve all people.
At Detroit Receiving Hospital, four young trauma doctors struggle to provide hope while mending damaged bodies. Their work is as much about saving a faltering city as it is about saving lives.
In the open spaces of New Mexico, University Hospital, Albuquerque is the only level one trauma unit for 400 miles. Depending heavily on the Air Rescue Unit, the staff treats patients who have traveled great distances on the edge of survival.
Doctors at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis treat some unique patients and injuries, including a woman who plunges a butcher knife into her chest while peeling potatoes, and a tattooed teen who spits out a metal stud that pierced his tongue.
Cases at University Medical Center in Florida include a 16-year-old track star fighting for her life and a man who kills his brother in a car accident.
Within an hour of Portland, Oregon, one can ski Mount Hood, surf the Oregon Coast or sail the Columbia River Gorge. But alcohol and recklessness can turn sport into nightmare, and the staff of Legacy Emanuel Hospital must pick up the pieces.
San Francisco General is the only level one trauma center in the city. The ER is almost always on total divert, meaning ambulances must take all new patients to other area hospitals. Only the critically injured remain, and it's still standing room only.
Pittsburgh is ranked the safest U.S. city, but this doesn't count the injuries that people inflict upon each other and themselves. The Allegheny General's trauma team is pushed to its limit with head injuries, brain surgery and a horse attack.
At the Level One Trauma Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, most patients arrive with multiple life-threatening injuries. The trauma team's first job is to prioritize their care and address the most immediate damage.
Crisis is the mode of operation at the University of Texas San Antonio Hospital. A family is injured in a minivan roll-over, an elderly rancher is trampled by a bull, and one of the trauma team's own is stuck by a needle filled with a patient's blood.
Savannah's raucous St. Patrick's Day celebration increases the workload for emergency doctors at Memorial Health when a 1,500-pound beam falls on a construction worker, a car crash victim must have an arm amputated, and a man is slashed in a scuffle.
Though gruff and weary on the outside, the trauma team at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, have a deep love and dedication for their work. When patients need it the most, their skill and humor can heal almost any wound.
Meet the ethnically diverse staff of San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center. S.F. General is a teaching hospital and the attending physicians do double duty as they take care of their patients while teaching students and residents.
Many people leave Pittsburgh but many people return for the rivers, fields and charm of the city. Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) is the city's finest level one trauma center and the staff do their best to treat every patient like family.
Oakland, CA, is home to a large population of people struggling with poverty and substance abuse and has more than a hundred gangs. Although they are on a low budget, the ER at Highland Hospital will manage to treat a wide range of injuries and people.
Travel the halls of Arizona's largest hospital, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, with doctors treating a teen who collided with a tractor-trailer, a chest stabbing victim, a man who was nearly decapitated and a woman giving birth in her car.
Denver Health Medical Center's trauma unit is equipped to handle disasters of any magnitude including Columbine High School shooting victims that were treated there. Join staff as they treat car wreck victims, gunshot wounds and snowboarding injuries.
Hennepin County Medical Center defies the county hospital stereotype. With state-of-the-art equipment and 84 private treatment cubicles, over 90,000 patients can be treated each year without overcrowding. Minnesota's oldest ER has kept up with the times.
Travel to one of the busiest trauma units in the nation at Louisville's University Hospital. With the only Level One Trauma Center for hundreds of miles, the staff sees their share of domestic violence from the isolated rural areas surrounding Louisville.
The comfortable climate and a colorful nightlife combine to increase drinking, irresponsible driving and reckless outdoor behavior during the summer months in Nashville. The talented staff of Vanderbilt University Medical Center's ER picks up the pieces.
At Houston's Memorial Hermann Emergency Trauma Department, a dedicated staff treats the rowdy remains of the wild west. A teen is broadsided by a pick-up; a child is attacked by a Rottweiler; victims are injured in a three-car pile-up.
Outdated equipment and supply shortages force the staff of Alameda County Medical Center to improvise techniques and treatments. But their creative approach can't hide their intense dedication to provide even the most destitute patients with quality care.
Like the mythological phoenix, the doctors and nurses of Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center have come to the Level One Trauma Center to jump-start their personal and professional lives. They pursue diverse goals but share a dedication to medicine.
Denver, Colorado's disenfranchised population swells as the arts, recreation and the booming economy of the city boost growth. Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center treats victims of accidents, violence and illness with innovative medical care.
It's Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, and the city is packed — the hotels are full and the roads are crowded, which means more trauma cases for the only Level-One trauma center along the west coast of the state. Tampa General is a teaching hospital associated with the University of South Florida, located on Davis Island and across from the downtown area. In this episode, the emergency staff handles a heavy patient load, including: two separate mothers involved in car accidents with their young children — one mother left paralyzed from the shoulders down; a cerebral palsy victim burned after falling into hot water; a girl suffering from grease burns; and a teenage girl whose truck skidded off the road into a concrete culvert.
Originally a major crossroad of the old west cattle trails, Dallas is now a high-powered center of the world's financial, technology and petroleum industries. The doctors and nurses at Baylor University Medical Center are the heroes of this post-modern western society. They possess the spirit and strength necessary to handle the high volume of cases that come their way, including: a man shot in the chest during an incident with police; a young man with a gunshot wound to the head; a man who cut off two of his fingertips in a meat slicer; a man with stab wounds directly over his heart; a drug user who overdosed on heroin; and a young man struck by a van while trying to cross Dallas' busiest highway on foot.
New Mexico is full of mountains, plateaus, rivers and breathtaking sunsets. Vast and wild landscapes border fast-growing cities, and intricate webs of highways cross thousand-year-old rock carvings. Albuquerque's University of New Mexico Hospital is the only Level-One Trauma Center within 400 miles. The more-than 50,000 patients who walk or are wheeled into its emergency room come from southern Colorado, eastern Arizona, the Navajo nation and right around the corner, and their traumas range from minor skin abrasions to serious internal injuries. In this episode the ER team at Albuquerque's University of New Mexico Hospital faces: a young woman suffering injuries after being trapped under her car for 12 hours; a toddler who has lodged a popcorn kernel in her ear; a combative young man injured in a high speed accident; a man rushed to the hospital whose condition deteriorates as the minutes pass; and the victim of an accidental gun shooting.
Las Vegas, Nevada is one of America's fastest-growing cities — it has blossomed from a dusty outpost en route to California to one of the country's premiere vacation destinations. Greater Las Vegas' variety, color, and opportunities attracts people from all over the country. Anyone seriously injured in any type of trauma, from western Arizona to eastern California, is rushed to University Medical Center. In this episode, the emergency staff helps: two alleged gang members shot during a drive-by; a child injured after falling from a second story balcony; a man shot in the head and back; a young man who has been shot eight times; and a truck driver whose rig fell 80 feet from a highway overpass.
Columbus, Ohio, the fifteenth largest city in America, is the home to Grant Medical Center, a Level-One trauma center that serves the city and 47 surrounding counties. As a result of Grant's large patient base, the staff is equipped to deal with both inner city tragedy and rural catastrophe at a moment's notice. In this episode, the medical staff tackles a number of traumas and urgent cases that need close and immediate attention, including: a man with a piece of wood impaled in his nose; a young man who was ejected from his vehicle in a high-speed roll-over accident; a stroke victim; a woman whose bladder is ruptured after being run over by her mother's car; a car refinisher who was electrocuted while on the job; and a hockey player who was injured during a rough game.
One hundred miles northeast of New York City on the Long Island Sound lies the busy port city of New Haven, Connecticut. Home to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, Yale University, it is a city of contrasts — from centuries-old, abandoned industrial plants to gleaming high-tech office towers, to poverty-stricken inner city neighborhoods, to the stately homes surrounding Yale. Serving the urban, suburban and rural communities, the E.R. team at Yale-New Haven Hospital faces such trauma cases as multiple car crashes, farm equipment accidents and inner city gangland shootings nearly every day. In this episode, the team treats: a man who jumps out of a third story window to escape a fire; a young woman who has been struck by a hit-and-run driver; a smoke-inhalation patient whose condition suddenly becomes life-threatening; a teenager hit by a car and thrown off his bike; an elderly woman with a neck laceration; and a construction worker who has become paralyzed after being struck by a 7,000-pound steel beam.
Fresno, in the heart of California's Central Valley, was once a scantly populated farming community. Now, although it still holds its place as one of the largest agricultural areas in the country, the city has been transformed into a small metropolis with more than 1.5 million residents. New people arrive on a daily basis — and as the city grows, so does that patient load at Fresno's University Medical Center. UMC's medical staff makes sure that everyone who is rushed through the hospital doors receives good and fair medical treatment. In this episode, the staff helps: a teenager who was ejected from her car during an accident; a young man with a gunshot wound to the head; and a motorist suffering from a severe head injury after driving his car into a pole.
Seven of the nation's major highways pass through downtown Indianapolis, bringing half of the country's population within a day's drive. Those open roads have paved the way to a host of urban problems … and forever changed the once-wholesome character of this heartland city. A consequence of Indianapolis' rapid growth has been a trail of blood in the heartland. The city's oldest and last surviving public hospital, Wishard Memorial, is there to close the wounds and, often, provide a refuge. In this episode, the medical team helps: a woman shot four times at close range by her lover; a man left severely bleeding from gunshot wounds to his stomach; two brothers rushed into trauma with potentially fatal gun injuries; one lucky man who walked out with minor injures after a bullet grazes his neck; and a medical mystery involving a woman who shows symptoms of both MS and Lupus.
Every year, Tampa celebrates Gasparilla Day to commemorate Jose Gaspar, a fictional pirate who invaded the city. Gasparilla is Tampa's version of Mardi Gras and as such, attracts a huge, unruly crowd. As Tampa prepares for this weeklong event, so does Tampa General Hospital. The region's only level-one trauma center will face a revolving door of injuries, including: a woman attacked by an alligator while swimming in a lake; a truck driver run off the road and pinned underneath his 18-wheeler; a man with a large piece of meat stuck in his throat; a local celebrity diagnosed with diabetes; a man who risks losing an eye after being hit head-on by a drunk driver; a middle-aged man who needs an immediate operation to fix a hole in his stomach; and a 20-year old woman shot in the chest.
The people of Dallas are full of pride and courage. Like their cattlemen and gunfighter ancestors, they stand tall in the face of adversity. This same strength of character often leads these people to risky behavior. The staff at Baylor University Medical Center stands larger than life by restoring their health and independence. In this episode, the medical team handles the following cases: a 21-year-old rodeo champion whose bull bucked him off and stomped on his leg; a combative 19-year-old assault victim who may have a serious head injury; a 60-year-old man injured when a house collapsed on his head and leg; a 39-year-old motor scooter rider who wiped out and is bleeding internally; a 3-year-old suffering from seizures; a 26-year-old man seriously injured after a motor vehicle accident; and one of the doctors' own sons, who is treated for a chin laceration.
Albuquerque, New Mexico — a stunning city nestled in the Rio Grande Valley. With an average of 310 days of sunshine a year, people from near and far marvel at the natural wonders this place has to offer. But there's a darker side to Albuquerque that's never far away. Sometimes, the difference between the splendor and the danger ... is just the luck of the draw. The staff at University of New Mexico Hospital, the state's only level-one trauma center, has seen it all, including in this episode: a 26-year-old man who broke his leg in a motorcycle accident; a man who shot himself in the hip while cleaning his gun; a criminal who stabbed himself in the stomach with a pen during transport; an infant with severe breathing problems; a 32-year-old male assaulted on his girlfriend's lawn; a middle-aged man hurt in a serious car accident; a 57-year old man scalped by a flying bullet; a woman badly bruised in a horseback-riding accident; and a 29-year-old male with multiple stab wounds to the chest, abdomen and back.
University Medical Center in Las Vegas is the only Level One Trauma Center within ten thousand miles. In an effort to grow with the nation's fastest growing city, UMC has constructed a brand new, computerized, state of the art emergency department. It has been scheduled to open in a few days — the staff is excited and nervous but positive that the change will be interesting. Some of the staff members that we will focus on are: Dr. Angeline Fitzgerald, attending physician in emergency medicine for 8 years. Originally from Albuquerque, Fitzy, as she's known, has freedom to make time for her kids; Dr. Frank Goudreau is a fourth year orthopedic resident who misses his family in Michigan; Bill Peabody is, in his own words, an excellent nurse. He's been at UMC for 4 years and was inspired to become a nurse while studying to be a monk; and Dr. Ron Dean is a nine year veteran emergency medicine doctor.
With the heat of the summer in the "city of angels," few places inspire a more visceral fear than south central L.A., yet few places also inspire more hope. Set like a diamond in the rough — sandwiched between Watts and Compton — the Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center is a safe haven for this community. The dedicated staff at King/Drew is committed to mending, nurturing and healing a community all too often overlooked and under-served. In this hour, the King/Drew trauma team fights to save: a 10-year-old boy hit by a car while riding his bicycle; a man who is robbed and beaten in a nearby alley; a two-year-old with a history of seizures; and a man in a diabetic coma.
Once a barren desert, Las Vegas is now a community of more than a million people living their dreams. When dreams suddenly turn into nightmares, the surrounding community looks to University Medical Center — the only Level One trauma center in the entire state of Nevada. In this episode, it's business as usual as the staff of UMC fights to save lives including: a teenager hit by an ambulance; a six-year-old boy hit by a gravel truck; a young girl who shoots herself in the hand; and a man shot with a BB gun while trying to protect his sister from an ex-boyfriend.
Columbus, a capital city, nestled in the heart of the "Buckeye" state, is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Grant Medical Center, located in the heart of downtown, has a reputation of being one of the leading trauma centers in Ohio. The doctors and nurses here pride themselves on the high level of care they give to truly sick and injured patients. In this episode, they fight to save: a 44-year old woman shot several times in a robbery; a young man who narrowly escapes death after being shot in the chest; an elderly victim of a head-on collision and a 30-year old woman who is unresponsive after a car accident.
A centuries-old city on Long Island Sound, New Haven is a bustling port with a storied past. Once a colonial whaling town, New Haven's most famous landmark — Yale University — continues to thrive today. A Level One trauma center, Yale-New Haven Hospital serves the city and the neighboring suburban and rural communities of southern Connecticut. The emergency staff here cares for New Haven’s most dire medical cases. In this episode they treat: a hospital orderly who is the victim of crossfire from a shootout; a man who collides down an embankment after losing control of his car; a man who is impaled by a branch while cutting down a tree; and a groundskeeper who is thrown from his tractor.
In Fresno, California, the neighborhoods are small-town friendly, the people display a patriotic spirit and the city exudes a strong sense of the western frontier. Yet, even in the midst of such American beauty, dreams are often broken and worlds can be changed in an instant. When unexpected dangers threaten lives, the surgeons and emergency physicians at University Medical Center make brave decisions at every turn. In this episode, they diagnose and treat injured and ill patients in the valley, including: a 44-year old former stuntman injured in a bike accident; a 22-year-old man stabbed by an assailant; an elderly women involved in a car crash; a man with a stubbornly dislocated jaw; and a young man who's been severely burned in a camping accident.
Every spring, the city of Indianapolis roars to life with the legendary Indy 500. Hundreds of thousands of eager fans — enough to fill ten Super Bowls — gather around the track on race day. The preparations for the Indy 500, however, are nearly as outsized as the race itself. A week before the checkered flag drops, downtown Indianapolis swells with fans for the annual Indy 500 parade. Locals revel in the roar of engines and the swirl of pageantry, bursting with pride at their celebrated race. The parade, like the many events leading up to the race itself, also reflects a city obsessed with speed. Fast times sometimes lead to sudden tragedies, and the doctors and nurses at Wishard Memorial Hospital know this all too well. During the Indy 500 race week, they prepare themselves for anything, knowing that the imminent arrival of millions of race fans can propel the trauma rooms from zero to overflowing in what seems like the blink of an eye.
Pittsburgh's 350,000 residents come from all walks of life, but tragedy can strike the lawyer or the steelworker. It is in these times of greatest need that people can depend on the doctors and nurses at Allegheny General Hospital. Here the staff will see: a man ejected from a car after it crashed; a newborn baby suffering from seizures; and an injured Cirque du Soleil acrobat.
Every day, the staff at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center is faced with the consequences of sudden and devastating trauma. Frequently, they must deal with issues surrounding head traumas, and in this episode, you'll see a 23-year-old Air Force sergeant just back from the Middle East who's been shot in the head, and a teenage boy who's been declared brain dead after a car crash.
It's nighttime in Pittsburgh. The skyline shimmers, the streets are quiet, and most people are safely at home. But there are always those who are in the wrong place at the wrong time, making mistakes. Across the river from the skyscrapers, the doctors and nurses at Allegheny General Hospital work tirelessly all day and night to repair the mistakes that others have made. In Night Calls, Dr. Ryan Flesher races to save a man who has overdosed, while Dr. Melissa McLane comes to the aid of an elderly woman with a shoulder fracture and three young men who were attacked in a bar parking lot.
Las Vegas is a city where life is an endless gamble. And the staff of its University Medical Center are there for people when the stakes grow too high and lady luck runs out. In this episode, patients include: a soccer player with a deep laceration under his toe; a 2-year old with the croup; and a young deaf boy who was hit by his neighbor's car.
You never know when trauma may strike. For those injured while simply going about their daily lives, waking up in a hospital bed days later can be terrifying and confusing. That's why the staff at Portland's Legacy Emanuel Hospital not only saves patients, but helps them rebuild their lives. This episode's patients include a toddler who's suddenly developed a severe infection on her face, an elderly man facing lung disease after a lifetime of smoking, and a young mother and daughter who were struck by a car.
Detroit, Michigan. The center of America's automobile industry. Life can change in an instant on the fast-paced highways and streets of the Motor City. When it does, the crew at Detroit Receiving Hospital stands by to repair and revive the injured and critically ill of this Midwest metropolis. In Motor City Blues, the doctors and nurses treat a man who shot himself in the mouth, claiming he was kidnapped by the same men who murdered his wife.
Detroit, Mich. has had its share of tough times. Decades of unemployment and crime have taken a toll on the city. Now, many of its citizens are rolling up their sleeves to dust off this once vibrant metropolis. Similarly, the doctors and staff at Detroit Receiving Hospital devote their time to restoring patients to their former selves. In this episode, the staff examines a patient who jumped out a second-story window after a drug deal went bad, a man who was bitten during a brawl, and a 32-year-old who fell after trying to hop a freight train.
Oklahoma is a land of heroes past and present. "Never say never" is a motto that describes its citizens, as well as the medical staff at the University of Oklahoma Trauma Center, who never say "never," even to the most severely injured patients. Among those in need of care are a man who fell off his motorcycle at 75 mph and requires a triple amputation, a woman who fell into a sewer hole, and a patient who was pinned under his tractor for several hours.
With its thrilling attractions, endless sunshine and miles of shoreline, every day in Orlando, Fla., can feel like a holiday. But Orlando's many citizens and visitors are not immune to tragedy, and when it strikes, they turn to the staff at Orlando Regional Medical Center for help. At the Tragic Kingdom you'll find a drunk driver who crashes into a family on their way to a fishing tournament, a patient critically burned in a mattress fire, and a man who's punched a plate-glass window.
From riots to drive-by shootings to high-profile drug overdoses, Los Angeles has seen its fair share of trauma. In "Unbreakable," you'll witness the doctors and nurses of Martin Luther King-Drew Medical Center tending to a little boy having a seizure, a patient coughing up blood, and a young man who's been shot several times.
The peaceful city of Portland, Ore., boasts one of the highest safety ratings in the country. Here, even swimming alone is illegal. But accidents will happen, and when they do, it's the doctors and nurses of Legacy Emanuel Hospital who come to the rescue. The patients here include a 69-year-old shot in the stomach by his wife, a woman suddenly paralyzed because of a blood clot, and a confused patient who is wandering the hospital naked.
In the world of level one trauma, medicine can be all it takes to save lives and avoid tragedy. But often there are individuals with such terrible injuries that medicine alone can't be called as the cure; unfortunately, survival can often be a matter of fate. At Orlando Regional Medical Center, doctors learn to treasure each and every save — the miracles that keep them striving against all odds. In this episode, the staff sees a 6-year-old whose seat belt has crushed her in a car crash, a man stabbed in an argument over a neighbor's loud music, and a young man shot in the head during a road rage incident.