Now What?

For the overburdened doctors and emergency room personnel of County General Hospital, an urban Chicago teaching hospital, the difference between life and death often depends on split-second decisions. The staff of heroic healers includes Attending Physician Dr. John Carter (series star NOAH WYLE), nurse Abby Lockhart (series star MAURA TIERNEY), Attending Physician Dr. Luka Kovac (series star GORAN VISNJIC), Chief of Staff Dr. Kerry Weaver (series star LAURA INNES), intern Dr. Gregory Pratt (series star MEKHI PHIFER), recent medical school graduate Michael Gallant (series star SHARIF ATKINS), Attending Physician Dr. Jing-Mei Chen (series star MING-NA), Attending Physician Dr. Susan Lewis (series star SHERRY STRINGFIELD), Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Robert Romano (series star PAUL McCRANE), trauma surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Corday (series star ALEX KINGSTON) and newcomer Neela Rasgotra (series star PARMINDER NAGRA), a British-Indian medical student.

With the emergency room undergoing major physical renovations and a multivehicle catastrophe happening right outside the ambulance bay, the chaos inside is more pronounced than ever. Carter's return from Africa goes almost unnoticed, as does the arrival of Neela Rasgotra, a brilliant young woman now working and studying at County General. Pratt, who is dating Chen, immediately causes tension between the two women by flirting with Neela. Still becoming accustomed to the procedure and layout of the hospital, Neela is devastated when she doesn't monitor an elderly patient closely enough, resulting in death. However, Neela's extensive knowledge of molecular biology allows her to contradict a roomful of doctors and save the life of a mother injured in the car accident.

Meanwhile, Lewis continues dating the guy she impulsively married in Las Vegas and subsequently divorced. Romano feels impotent in his new nonsurgical capacity. And Abby rebuffs Carter's weak attempt at apologizing for abruptly leaving her to volunteer in The Congo with Kovac. Just as the lovers seem to be reconciling, shocking news comes from Africa, prompting Carter to leave for the continent again.

Not appearing in this episode is series star LINDA CARDELLINI as Samantha Taggart, a nurse and spirited single mom.