Appearance
S13 E1 – S15 E6
Job Title
Bed Manager / Staff Nurse
First Words
Eve, I’ve been bleeped for Resus
Background
Adam Osman is introduced in Series 13 as a bed manager.
In S13 E1 he is faced with racial stereotyping when a young Asian woman is brought into the department who cannot speak any English. Everyone suggests that Adam should be called to see if he can understand her but when he arrives, Adam explains that although he shares the same skin colour as the woman, he was actually born in Birmingham and has lived there all his life so can’t help. During Series 13, Adam is often quite unpopular with the rest of the staff as he often struggles to find beds in time for the patients. In S13 E4, Charlie and George are unimpressed when Adam says that he cannot clear a side-room for Mark. George says Mark was injured at work and should get preferential treatment. It is revealed that Adam used to work in nursing when Sam is looking something up in S13 E7. Sam tells Adam what he is looking up and Adam tells him what he’ll find, and he’s correct. It is also no secret that Adam is gay, and in S13 E8, Tina sees Sam and Adam talking and later asks Sam if he’s seen something he likes. Sam protests and says he doesn’t even like Adam; he doesn’t like the way he acts as if he owns the place. In S13 E9, Adam is trying to talk to an angry man who is demanding a bed for his ill wife. Adam tries to explain the situation but the man ends up pushing Adam to the floor. Whilst being treated for a cut to the forehead Adam makes sure Sam is wearing gloves before treating him. He then tells Sam that he is HIV positive – as a result of receiving infected blood. When Sam is unsympathetic and asks why he chose to tell him, Adam regrets saying anything. However in S13 E10, Sam find Adam in ths staffroom. He apologises, saying he must have sounded callous. He says he’s lived with the awareness of Aids for a long time and that he forgets it’s not something people think about. He says he didn’t want to know because he’s scared of it, and wanted to stay away. He says the way Adam got it is so unfair. Adam says he’s being patronising. Sam asks if he wants to talk; Adam says no and walks out. The pair soon make up. In S13 E11, Sam asks Adam if he wants to go for a drink. Adam jokingly says Sam’s not his type and they both laugh. Adam talks about his boyfriend and says he didn’t know what to do when he became ill. He says his family knew nothing, and when he found out he was ill, he decided: he hasn’t been with anyone since. Sam asks why Adam didn’t tell him all this sooner; Adam says it’s because of what he said a few weeks ago about Aids. Sam tells him not to listen to him. In S13 E20, Adam’s dad is brought in after falling from a bridge. Adam and his mother are told that his father needs a kidney transplant or dialysis for the rest of his life. His mother volunteers herself and Adam for screening; Adam has to agree. He talks to Sam, who suggests he tells the consultant that he is HIV positive. Adam tells the consultant he is gay, thinking that that will be enough, but she says it will still be OK. He tells her that he is HIV positive. She tells him he has to tell his parents. Sam suggests that he tells them the transfusion lie but Adam is unsure whether to tell them anything. He eventually decides to tell them. He tells them he got the virus from the man he loved. He leaves, crying. Sam asks him how they took it; he says he doesn’t know. Sam invites him for a drink but Adam decides to go back to his family. In S13 E28, Sam and Adam are involved in a fight with an angry relative, which results in Sam getting pushed over the balcony. Adam is in shock and when Sam is taken to resus, Max has to ask him several times before he manages to describe the accident fully.
While he is in a ward recovering, Adam goes to talk to Sam.. He gives him a book and asks Sam how long it’ll be before he’s out of hospital. Sam says about a week, then he’ll go to the coast to see a friend. Adam asks his advice on returning to nursing – Sam’s the only one he can ask because he’s the only one who knows he’s HIV positive. Sam is surprised, but says that if that’s what he wants he should go for it. Adam later speaks to Charlie about returning to nursing. He says he left because it wasn’t right for him then but he knows it’s right for him now. He says it’s frustrating not being allowed to help people when he knows he can, especially when it happened with Sam. Charlie asks if this is all about Sam; Adam says he’d been thinking about it long before then but Sam added to it. He tells Charlie he knows it sounds naive but he wants to return to nursing because he knows it’s something he has to do. Charlie says it sounds like he knows what he wants. Adam says he’s going to apply for the vacancy in A&E. In S14 E4 Adam tells Charlie that he’s HIV positive and asks whether Charlie thinks he should still apply for the nursing post, and whether he should declare it or could it would prevent him getting the job. Charlie says he’ll have to declare it but he should still be in with a chance for the job. Charlie thinks Adam will make a good nurse but says it’s up to Occupational Health and Personnel, and there would be limits on the kind of things he’s allowed to do. Charlie agrees to check Adam’s form if he goes ahead with it. However in S14 E5, Duffy accidently looks at Adam’s application form and sees that he has declared that he is HIV positive. She sees Adam and she tells him what she knows. She says she’s not against him returning to nursing but she doesn’t want the strength of the department jeopardised because they had one nurse who couldn’t work at full stretch. She says that if it got out that they had an HIV-positive nurse the patients wouldn’t like it. She tells him about the scare she had 10 years ago when she thought she’d contracted the disease: she says that she had decided then that if she was HIV positive she would give up nursing. She tells him it’s not about whether it’s right or wrong but about the reality of the situation. In S14 E7, Adam goes for his interview. He asks Duffy to wish him luck but she won’t; she just says, “May the best man win.” Eve asks him about whether nurses should have to take on the responsibility of whether someone lives or dies. Adam says it’s not just about responsibility but about caring. She later informs him that they will offer him the post. Duffy says, “I’m sure you were an outstanding candidate.” It’s Adam’s first day as staff nurse in S14 E8. Charlie jokingly introduces him in the staffroom. Duffy tells him she’s not as prejudiced as he might think but that it’s her job to make sure he’s careful for everybody’s sake. A new nurse, Barney Wolfe, joins the shift. Almost immediately there becomes an element of rivalry between Adam and Barney, when Adam attempts a joke about Barney’s name. In S14 E13, Barney agrees to do a sponsored parachute jump that Holly is organising and Adam is made to agree too! However in the following episode he tells Holly that he can’t make the jump due to a family wedding that day. In S14 E17, Adam dresses up as an elf along with Chloe, to go up to the childrens ward for Christmas. In S14 E18, Adam is treating dancer Reuben, who has sprained his ankle. There is an immediate attraction between them and Reuben asks Adam out, offering to teach him to dance. Adam tries to put him off but Reuben is waiting for him at the end of the shift. He asks Adam what the problem is. Adam tries to tell him it’s because he met him at work, but then tells Reuben he’s HIV positive. Reuben says he is too. Patrick sees them together and realises Adam’s gay; he tells Holly. Adam and Reuben go up to the roof and Reuben teaches Adam how to waltz. They say it’s a miracle and stay dancing together. In S14 E19, Adam goes out to his car. A junkie suddenly attacks him and tries to get money off him. Chloe and Barney then come out and rush over to him trying to check him over seeing that he is bleeding from his nose then as they try to get a look at him he blurts out that he is HIV positive, so they just stand there stunned as he had never told them before. Back at the hospital Sean treats him. In the next episode, Tina is looking through the records and finds that Adam was in last night. Charlie tells her he was mugged. Adam thinks everyone knows about his HIV, but Barney and Charlie assure him no one knows. However, Adam keeps hearing people whispering about him being mugged and thinks everyone is talking about his HIV. Suddenly he snaps, and shouts for everyone’s attention. He tells them all that he’s HIV positive and that he’s gay. In S14 E27, Adam comes into the staff room as Sean is posting something into his locker. Adam asks what it is; Sean says it’s an address in case anyone wants to get in touch while he’s away. He tells Adam not to tell Tina until he’s gone – he says he doesn’t want her to change his mind. He eventually tells Adam that he’s leaving Holby and emigrating to Australia – he’s catching a train to London at the end of the shift, and then flying in two days. He says it’s because of Tina; Adam says Tina loves him. Sean says he can’t carry on working here, where everything reminds him of where he’s failed. Adam thinks he’s mad but Sean says he needs a new start. He says he loves Tina but he can’t wait for her anymore. At the end of the episode Tina finds out Sean is gone and shouts at Adam for not telling her.
In Series 15, Adam and Reuben are still together and are moving in together. In S15 E2, they go and visit their new flat and argue over how they’re going to decorate it. And in S15 E3, Reuben tells Adam that he’s never been happier, and asks Adam to marry him. Adam accepts. Holly goes for a meal with a journalist looking for a story about the face of the NHS. She praises her colleagues and accidently mentions a nurse that works with her who is HIV. The journalist is interested and wants to expose this fact. He comes into A&E posing as a patient to find out more. Adam treats him. Holly discovers the journalist and persuades him not to write the article. However, the patient in the next cubicle overhears everything and rings a national newspaper. In S15 E5, A story is released with the headline “AID’s Nurse Risked my Life.” Adam knows nothing of the story and is busy planning his wedding, which is scheduled for later that night. When he comes into A&E for work, Charlie shows him the paper. Adam is worried and doesn’t want Reuben to be affected, so when Reuben comes into the department later, Adam argues with him purposely so that Reuben will want to leave him. However Reuben says he knows what he’s doing and that he can tell Adam still loves him. Holly finds Adam and admits that everything is her fault. He is angry with her, but later says that she’s still invited to the party. At the party, they announce to everyone that they are getting married and conduct the ceremony right there. They then set off on their honeymoon, listening to their salsa tape and drinking champagne. Adam has resigned from his post at Holby and decides to get a job elsewhere. He and Reuben are happy.
Memorable Moments
- S13 E1 – Adam’s first episode.
- S14 E8 – Adam’s first day returning to nursing.
- S15 E3 – Reuben proposes to Adam and he accepts.
- S15 E6 – Adam marries Reuben. This is also his last episode.
