Pulse season 1 episode 7 recap: What happened to Danny's patient Cynthia?

In episode 7 of the Netflix medical drama Pulse season 1, the rivalry for the Chief Resident's post heightens with Dr. Danny Simms and Dr. Sam Elijah under close observation by Dr. Natalie Cruz. The show explores the private and professional dilemmas confronting residents at Miami's Maguire Medical Center.

Following the emotional rollercoaster of episode 6, which included Danny's father's collapse and Patricia Acosta's surgery chaos, Danny is off to a new case. She is treating Cynthia, a patient who had a double lung transplant before and is now struggling to breathe. After checking into it, Danny learns that Cynthia has been smoking again, a bad decision considering her history.

This revelation leads to a poignant interaction where Dr. Cruz emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in patient care. Ultimately, Cynthia's condition deteriorates, and despite the medical team's efforts, she passes away, adding more emotional toll on Danny in episode 7.

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Pulse season 1 episode 7: Danny fails to save her lung transplant patient Cynthia

In Pulse season 1 episode 7, Danny takes charge of a patient named Cynthia, a recent double lung transplant recipient who collapses at home, struggling to breathe. As Danny investigates, she figures out that Cynthia started smoking again, which likely triggered a pulmonary embolism. Danny receives guidance from Dr. Cruz while trying to offer care and understanding to the patient.

Dr. Cruz encourages her to approach patients with empathy over judgment. Cynthia deteriorates quickly and requests to see her wife, Amy, one last time. Danny rushes to find her, but by the time Amy arrives, Cynthia has passed away. The emotional loss hits Danny hard, reinforcing the high stakes of her work and the burden of losing a patient.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cruz praises Danny’s dedication but warns her that the fallout from her complaint against Xander could bring even bigger consequences. With the HR meeting approaching, Danny makes a difficult decision to retract her accusation.

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Pulse season 1 episode 7: Danny drops the complaint against Xander

In Pulse season 1 episode 7, Danny wrestles with her future as the investigation into Xander intensifies. In flashbacks, she’s seen confronting him about his influence over the chief resident's position, not wanting the title if it's only because of him. Xander insists she’s earned it, and they kiss; however, they are caught by Cass.

Cass later reveals that Danny's name had been floated for chief long before Xander joined Maguire. In the present, the pressure mounts on Danny as Xander’s mother, Libby, visits Cruz, demanding Danny be removed for "false reporting." Cruz urges Danny to consider what a win looks like and whether she’s willing to live with the consequences.

After Cynthia's passing, which took an emotional toll on Danny, she reflects on everything and makes a painful decision. She shows up early for her HR meeting and quietly informs the receptionist that she’s dropping the complaint, choosing her own peace over retaliation.

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Pulse season 1 episode 7: Camila asks Elijah to hear her patient's case

In Pulse season 1 episode 7, Camila approaches Elijah in the hallway, hoping he’ll listen to her case about a young patient showing flu-like symptoms. Still reeling from being undermined by Cole in front of Cruz, Elijah brushes her off coldly, leaving Camila hurt and humiliated.

Later, Sophie finds Camila crying in the locker room and encourages her to keep pushing forward. Elijah eventually apologizes and agrees to hear her out.

He examines the nine-year-old patient, Blanca, and realizes her condition is quite serious, diagnosing toxic shock syndrome caused by a forgotten tampon. Blanca's case turns out to be a crucial save sparked by Camila’s instincts in episode 7.

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All episodes of Pulse season 1 are now streaming on Netflix.