While coping with one-year anniversary of the passing of her husband, Christina, the director of nursing at Richmond Trinity Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., does everything she can to stop David, a patient dying of cancer, from taking his own life. Later, Christina must deal with Ray Stein, a nurse who gets himself into trouble when he administers a doctor’s questionable treatment.

A patient with a brain aneurysm slips into dementia and believes that Christina is his wife, and Christina slowly grows attached to him. Meanwhile, Kelly gets stuck with an ornery and demanding patient; and Bobbie thinks about starting a romance with a handsome paramedic.

Christina tries to save a mom and her son after being in a car accident but can't find what caused the paralysis.

A car accident leaves Christina in a race to save a woman and her child. But a bizarre turn of events finds the victims suffering from paralysis which seems unrelated to the accident. Meanwhile, a cancer patient seems to be getting better; Kelly becomes lost within the labyrinth of the hospital, and Camille pushes her way into attending a class trip.

Amanda (Christina's mother-in-law) gets her own nurse, and a heart patient's condition gets worse.

Christina and the crew are hit with an onrush of new patients when another Richmond emergency room shuts down. One patient is recognized by Camille as an old friend from school who appears to have a drug problem. And a reporter wants to use Ray as an inside source for a revealing article she wants to write concerning the ER.

Christina must help figure out which two sets of parents will get to adopt a baby. A young girl who is going to have a baby promised both sets of parents they could have the baby. Christiansen finds out that one of the couple's is also going through a different kind of battle. Ray fills in as a medic four Tom at a hockey game but soon may regret doing a favor after finding out what being a medic entails. Tom chooses work over going on and eight at a special event. Bobbie gives Isabel a place to sleep.

In a confusing and difficult case, Christina treats an abused patient. Boobie has to deal with a racist in pain and Ray takes care of a motorcycle accident victim whose life is about to change. Taught by Kelly, Camile struggles while trying to learn how to drive.

Christina battles Morrisey over budget matters, after demanding Christina lay off six nurses at the end of the day. One staff member who could be gone is Kelly, who has been in hot water since refusing a doctor's treatment. Ultimately, attention is focused on a terrible tragedy in the ER.

Christina gives comfort to her friend David, after hearing his cancer has returned, and tries to break the red tape so that David can be entered in a new clinical trial. Meanwhile, Kelly struggles to say goodbye to a very special patient, and Ray receives shocking news from Candy.