THE SURGE AT MOUNT SINAI: Humanity in the Heartache

No one knew what they were dealing with in the early stages of COVID-19. The death toll rose higher, hospitals were overwhelmed with patients, and it was difficult to tell what would happen next. In the trenches, first witnesses of the deaths were the frontline workers – the medical staff, the hospital workers, the doctors who struggled to save lives against an enemy they weren’t entirely sure about. This was certainly the case at Mount Sinai, a hospital located in New York and an early COVID-19 hotspot. The Surge at Mount Sinai tells the story of the early struggle these healthcare workers faced, how they dealt with that struggle, and even what the legacy of COVID-19 might be when all this is said and done.

‘There was no light, no hope’

Directed by Jonny Kapps, The Surge at Mount Sinai features a lot of what appears to be bodycam footage of nurses sprinting through ICU wards, grabbing machines and items needed to save lives. It is shocking and visceral. An early scene shows paramedics transporting a patient to the hospital; a relative attempts to ride in the ambulance but is told by one of the paramedics that this can’t happen – no one is allowed in the hospital. It’s a startling insight into the uniqueness of the situation and one can’t help but feel for the paramedics on what must have been the most stressful moments of their lives.

‘There was no light, there was no hope’ one healthcare worker informs us. ‘Even doing our best was not good enough’. Another healthcare worker later tells us that for the first time in her career she didn’t want to come to work, felt the deep anxiety that comes with knowing you’re walking into a situation you won’t be able to control. An ICU physician was unable to see her daughter because of her long hours helping patients, another explains the only reason he made it through the nightmare of the initial pandemic was because of family and friends. It’s a reminder that in those darkest times it’s those we love most that pull us through, and that certainly seems to be the theme Kapps is trying to convey to us.

Central to the narrative is Jessica Montanaro, ICU nurse at Mount Sinai. Kapps’ camera follows Montanaro through her daily life as she explains how intense the initial surge was and how they coped with it. The second COVID-19 patient they had was Larry Kelly, who was admitted on March 17th, right at the cusp of the wave that was about to crest. Larry’s fear is palpable as Jessica explains how he kept asking her to help him breathe, and later footage shows the shocking toll it took on him.

Finding Humanity in the Horror

One aspect of The Surge at Mount Sinai is a crucial one: the care patients received was very limited because of the influx of cases. It is the very reason lockdowns were created, masks worn, rules implemented. The stories we’ve heard of during the worst of 2020 come to life here, and we understand why are so important to tell. ‘If we had more time with patients,’ one nurse explains, ‘if they had come in a little more staggered, if we hadn’t had 15 new patients a day, then maybe we could have more time to think through their care’.

As the numbers increase, this humanisation becomes more and more important. Unable to speak, to tell the doctors and nurses who they are and why they matter, patients could threaten to become little more than just statistics. However, in one of the most touching scenes of the movie, staff decide to interview family members to find out key details of their patients personalities: their likes, dislikes, their traits, what makes them special. They then place these details on the doors of every patient’s room, so that the staff can get to know who they’re treating, even if the patients themselves are unable to tell them. In the face of such a horrific pandemic, this little glimpse of humanity is all the more tender and welcome.

Don Boyce, the Vice President of Emergency Management, explains how each of Mount Sinai’s hospitals were totally overwhelmed in short order. This forced the management to make difficult decisions regarding who could and could not be admitted into the hospitals. Key among these tragic decisions was the policy that family was not allowed to visit dying patients as the risk was too great. This meant leaving patients to die scared and alone. One scene sees a scared niece visit her uncle – unable to see him during the worst moments of the pandemic she is shocked by how different he looks, how gaunt. She goes through procedures designed to keep her safe as she enters the room to comfort her frail relative. It’s another beautiful yet heart-breaking moment in a movie full of them.

Conclusion

The Surge at Mount Sinai is a testament to the heroism, bravery, and tenacity of frontline healthcare workers as they scramble to get ahead of the pandemic and save lives. Kapps’ camera captures raw, intimate moments and reminds you that in among all the horror and devastation this virus has caused, there are some genuinely deep, resonant moments of humanity that make all of it worthwhile. This should be essential viewing to anyone on the fence about the effects of COVID-19, who might ask themselves how real this all is. Jonny Kapps’ movie shows how the team at Mount Sinai worked incredibly hard in the face of a very real danger, and for that, they should all be commended.

The Surge at Mount Sinai is an incredible tale of heroism in the face of insurmountable odds. Do you have any similar stories? Let us know in the comments.

The Surge at Mount Sinai is now available to stream on discovery+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k1CtJBVXN4&t=6s

Watch The Surge at Mount Sinai