As TNT's dynamic new series opens, Christina Hawthorne, chief nursing officer for Richmond Trinity Hospital, races to work to try to prevent a suicide attempt by David, an end-stage cancer patient and best friend to her husband. This is the beginning of what is going to be a long day for Christina, a day that happens to be the first anniversary of her husband's death. Putting her mourning on hold, Christina turns her focus to Ray Stein, a nurse who gets into hot water when he goes against his instincts and administers a doctor's questionable treatment; Isabel, a homeless woman who brings a sick infant to the hospital; Camille, Christina's rebellious daughter who has decided to take a stand for free speech in school; and Amanda, Christina's former mother-in-law who also happens to be a member of the hospital board.

Christina becomes attached to a brain aneurism patient (special guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner) when his dementia leads him to believe she is his wife. This becomes an issue when the patient starts relying on Christina's opinion over Dr. Wakefield's. Kelly gets stuck caring for a cantankerous patient (special guest star Cloris Leachman) for whom nothing she does is satisfactory. After being punched and losing his overtime pay, Ray becomes convinced the hospital is out to get him. And Bobbie continues to be hesitant about pursuing a relationship with handsome paramedic Nick.

Christina scrambles to create a makeshift ICU bed for a woman whose son isn't ready to let her go. Bobbie helps Kelly handle a difficult case in which an infant has apparently ingested rubbing alcohol, and suspicion has fallen on the mother. Ray tries to spend time with Candy checking expiration dates in the drug closet, but his attention keeps getting pulled by a needy patient. And Camille spends the day sneaking around the hospital when she's supposed to be working on an English essay.

Christina struggles to save a Korean woman and her little boy after a car accident, but it seems none of their injuries are the cause of their sudden paralysis. Meanwhile, David Gendler, the cancer patient and best friend to Christina's late husband, has taken a seemingly miraculous turn for the better. Bobbie deals with a young woman on the verge of losing her arm because of gangrene. Kelly gets lost in the bowels of the hospital. Candy's reputation for giving special attention to soldiers injured in the war is starting to become a problem for Ray. And Camille goes behind Christina's back and gets permission from her grandmother, Amanda, to go on a class trip.

Christina spends the day giving special attention to a young heart patient who is beginning to suffer from seizures, but the brash young surgeon called in to handle the case has an ego that rubs Christina the wrong way. Ray is assigned to be personal nurse to Amanda, Christina's mother-in-law and a member of the hospital board, who is in the hospital without Christina's knowledge. Kelly takes care of a man whose wife gives new meaning to the word worrywart. Larry in accounting manipulates Candy into agreeing to go on a date with him. And Isabel, the homeless mother, gets a job delivering samples for the hospital lab.

The ER is plunged into chaos when the hospital director agrees to take on extra patients because another local ER is closed down. Among the patients is a study partner of Christina's daughter, Camille. When suspicion arises the boy may be doing drugs, Christina starts to wonder if Camille is, as well. Bobbie and Nick get into a snit with each other during work hours. Candy treats a teenage girl whose father seems to be the one needing medical attention. Ray decides to provide a reporter with a first-person exposé on the ER situation. And Isabel goes into a panic when her baby, Moses, disappears from the hospital.