Summary

In Case of Emergency paints a startling picture of our ERs stretched to the breaking point and exposes the extent of our nation’s broken safety net. All of our country’s biggest public health challenges—from COVID-19 to the opioid crisis to gun violence to lack of insurance—collide in emergency departments. Nearly half of all medical care in the U.S. is delivered in ERs and nurses are on the frontlines, addressing our physical and emotional needs before sending us back out into the world. In Case of Emergency follows emergency nurses across the U.S, shedding light on their efforts to help break a sometimes-vicious cycle for patients under their care.