Appearance
S22 E1 ‘My First Day’ –
Job Title
F2 Doctor
First Words
(to Toby) New F2? I’m Dr Winters.
Background
Ruth is clever, hardworking and focused. She has always done well academically and doesn’t know the meaning of the word failure. She has always wanted to be a Dr, ever since she was eight and it has been her driving ambition ever since. Graduating top of her class, and with an encyclopedic knowledge of medical terms, Ruth is a tough cookie. Her professional ambition though, has been to the detriment of her social and personal life, which has always come second. For Ruth though, being a doctor is everything.
Ruth joins the team from S22 E1, as one of two new F2 doctors. The other being Toby, and the pair are of complete contrast to eachother. Whilst Ruth appears to ooze confidence and is highly praised by staff, Toby manages to screw up nearly every job he’s doing and his failings do nothing to boost his confidence. Despite Ruth’s impressive medical skills, staff pass comment on her poor personal skills and Charlie tells her off for her rude attitude. In S22 E3, Guppy misdiagnoses a child’s condition when he dismisses Ruth’s medical opinion. In S22 E6, it is Ruth who seriously misdiagnoses a patient and makes an enemy of Nadia when she blames her for her own mistake. In S2 E7, Ruth is reluctant to treat a drunk lorry driver who has caused a crash when it turns out to ber her estranged father. Ruth and Nadia bond when Ruth confides that his abuse caused her mother’s death and Nadia feels they have something in common. An internet blog written by the mysterious ‘Toxic Shark’, damming the hospital and it’s staff causes tension in the department. Ruth is unhappy when she finds she has earned the nickname ‘Chuckles’. And at first her suspicions to the blogger lie with Adam (episodes later it is revealed to be TC). In S22 E12, after being impressed by her skills, Ruth is allowed out with the rapid response unit. When she returns to the ED and is given the opportunity to lead treatment on her patient, Ruth goes ahead of herself to adminster the wrong medicine, which causes her to take action to cover her mistake, which works when Adam praises her on doing a good job. In S22 E14, Ruth is excited about the lecture to be given by Professor Camille Windsor on trauma surgery, unbeknowing that she is Toby’s mother. In S22 E15, whilst Toby debates his future as a doctor, Adam gives him the opportunity to prove himself in resus, leaving Ruth missing out on a chance to impress Marilyn. Later the pair are in the on-call room, and an emotional Ruth asks him if everyone hates her. Next episode in S22 E16, they innocently wake up together in the on-call room – however Kelsey notices and proceeds to stir up gossip. Maggie overhears and learns from Toby that he has moved out of his mum’s house. Maggie offers him a room. Toby asks whether she also has a spare room for Ruth, but she doesn’t. In S22 E18, Ruth orders Nadia to take a neck brace off a patient with catastrophic results. To cover her mistake, Ruth lies to Tess that she never gave Nadia the order. Nadia decides to resign, and as she leaves, feeling guilty Ruth admits her mistake to Nadia and apologises. Luckily for her, Nadia is happy to leave and take the wrap for the incident. In S22 E20, during a work-to-rule, Ruth is called out to the field as no nurse will go out on the RRV. As she treats a patient, in her haste she gives them a morphine overdose. She is mortified when Zoe discovers what happened but is more criticial of Abs, who should have been out on the call instead. In S22 E22, Ruth has to deal with a distressing suicide case. She battles desperately to save the patient, but can’t, and, through no fault of her own, the patient dies. Ruth bravely faces the patient’s wife, Suki, to tell her the news. She reveals that her own mother committed suicide many years ago, and understands what Suki’s going through. In S22 E23, Ruth is shocked and bewildered when a graffiti murial of the staff outside the department show her with no face. In S22 E24, Ruth tries to impress Marilyn but, unbeknown to her colleagues, she is also taking caffeine pills. Again she misdiagnoses a patient when she makes an initial assumption that he is drunk. Her diagnoses ends up fatal and staff question her as to why she didn’t ask their advice. Ruth is left devestated and promises it won’t happen again. That night, Ruth writes up her diary, unable to face the situation she has created, and decides on a drastic course of action. Toby and Abs decide it’s time Ruth lets her hair down and go round to see her but are shocked to discover her hanging in her room. In S22 E25, Ruth is treated in hospital following her suicide attempt. With his hands on her diary, Harry reflects and feels he let her down and the viewers are shown an insight into the last six months she had at Holby which led to her downfall. In S22 E26, Ruth remains in ITU whilst Toby appears to have lost all confidence since Ruth’s incident. In S22 E27, Harry debates publishing Ruth’s diary in the press. Maggie goes to see Ruth but Toby is still reluctant to go and see her. Next episode in S22 E28, Harry goes ahead and releases the diary and deals with the fall-out by being forced out by Marilyn. Meanwhile Toby visits Ruth in ITU. He spots her diary and can’t resist reading it aloud, but he gets angry when he reads what she thought of him. As Ruth opens an eye and pulls her hand away from Toby’s, he realises that she’s coming out of her coma. In S22 E29, Ruth is still recovering from her suicide attempt and is touched by Maggie’s kindness. Toby’s questioning about the diary pressurises her into discharging herself, but Maggie comes to her rescue and asks her to move in. In S22 E32, it’s Ruth’s first day back but, arriving at the ED, she is confronted by her old life and is tempted to leave. She is also dismayed to learn that she has to be non-clinical and is to be monitored by Abs. Her confidence is low and she finds it hard performing even simple tasks. In S22 E35, Ruth begins the morning on a high, jogging into work and arriving exhilarated. Later, though, her confidence is knocked as Toby completes a medical procedure that has eluded her, and another patient dies. Abs and Maggie are both very concerned about Ruth and she struggles to deal with her feelings. She seems to be back in the dark place where she was before. In S22 E36, it’s Ruth’s day off and she is alone in her room and again on the verge of suicide. She goes for a run but witnesses an accident and pulls one of the victims out of the way of a motorbike. Her subsequent care and treatment of those involved is praised by her colleagues, and offers her a glimpse of hope. In S22 E37, Abs has tried his best to get Ruth to emotionally connect with her patients. When they treat an old lady, Ruth is her typical brittle, cold self. Later on in the shift, however, Ruth manages a simple act of compassion towards her when she brings her a magazine. In S22 E48, Ruth is furious with Toby when he advises a journalist to interview her instead of him which his mother set up and mentions her suicide attempt. Toby has a tough day, when his mother also disowns him. He apologises to Ruth and breaks down. Feeling for him, Ruth offers a shoulder to cry on.
In S23 E3, Ruth is bowled over by the power and leadership that new Consultant Jordan exhibits. Meanwhile, she inadvertently provides a shoulder to cry on for Abs. In S23 E4, Ruth is thriving under Jordan’s leadership and seems to have started dressing in a more glamorous and feminine way. In S23 E9, Jordan, impressed with Ruth, asks her to perform a complicated surgical airway procedure on an asthmatic young boy, which shocks Adam. Jordan dismisses Adam’s concerns but once the treatment is complete, Tess tells Jordan he was taking a risk letting Ruth do it. In S23 E10, both eager to please Jordan, Ruth and Toby see their chance to impress when the casualties of a major road accident are brought into the ED. Ruth is irritated when Jordan lets Toby send her to work with Adam, while Toby gets to assist Jordan. Later, Adam teases that she’s ‘not Jordan’s type’. Toby is also shocked when she accuses him of fancying her. In S23 E11, Jordan decides to perform a highly risky heart operation in the ED. With Ruth and Jay’s assistance, he pulls it off and the trio are elated. Flush with success, Ruth and Jordan celebrate – together. In S23 E12, Ruth wakes up in Jordan’s bed and revels in what she believes is the start of a new relationship. Jordan, however, clearly feels differently and later rejects her outright – to her utter humiliation. Upset and feeling lonely, Ruth turns to Toby for support, but instead gets the surprise of her life when she catches him in bed with hospital counsellor Ben. In S23 E13, Toby denies anything is going on with Ben when Ruth lets slip she saw them in bed together. Tensions continue to simmer between Ruth and Jordan – especially when Jordan uses Ruth to cover an error regarding the name of a drug in resus. In S23 E14, Ruth worries that Toby isn’t coping after his night with Ben. After a confrontation with Ben, she reports him to Jordan for taking advantage of Toby. She is, however, unwilling to address the similarities between Ben and Toby’s situation and her own with Jordan. In S23 E15, Ruth attends her interview for surgical rotation but is furious when Jordan’s questions during the board scupper her chances. In S23 E16, Ruth continues to rail against Jordan for not getting the surgical rotation. He tells her that while she may be competent, it is her attitude and people skills which are letting her down. In S23 E17, Ruth’s lack of people skills come into question again. She knows full well she was refused the surgical rotation because she isn’t popular enough, but she manages to connect with a family and starts to open up a little. In S23 E18, Ruth struggles to bond with her team-mates and looks into an opportunity in another department. In S23 E19, following Toby’s resignation, Ruth and Toby share a moment together at the end of the frenetic day – they have been through so much together. Ruth is sad to see him leave, but Toby encourages her to stick with it, and he tells her she’s cut out to be a surgeon. In S23 E21, Jordan – who is secretly suffering a degenerative illness continues to practice and performs a risky heart operation. However, mid operation, he slips up and an unsuspecting Ruth steps in to save the day. In S23 E29, Ruth is inspired both by Jordan and a patient to try to develop her life away from the hospital, but her attempts at small talk are full of medical minutiae and she puts off a prospective suitor. In S23 E31, it’s Kelsey’s last shift and Alice, Ruth and Snezana take her to the pub to divert her attentions from a surprise farewell that is happening later. In an attempt to not get her drunk, Alice swaps her drinks with Ruth – who ends up being the one worse for wear. In S23 E32, Jay sees Ruth alone in a bar, but his attempts to chat her up fall flat. In S23 E33, Ruth asks Jay to escort her to the surgeon’s dinner in return for payment. He successfully acts out the role, but breaks the rules when he asks for a goodnight kiss.
Memorable Moments
- S22 E7 – Ruth faces old demons when her estranged father is brought in as a patient.
- S22 E24 – Ruth misdiagnoses a patient with fatal consequences. Distraught and feeling to blame, Ruth commits suicide.
- S22 E25 – Flashback episode focusing on Ruth’s last six months in Holby leading to her suicide attempt.
- S22 E35 – Ruth is given a glimmer of new hope after a promising day.
- S23 E11 – Ruth and Jordan celebrate together after a successful risky operation.
- S23 E12 – Ruth feels humiliated after being rebuffed by Jordan following their night together.
- S23 E19 – Ruth and Toby share a moment before his departure.
- S23 E31 – Ruth is drunk at Kelsey’s farewell do.
- S23 E33 – Jay escorts Ruth to the surgeon’s dinner.
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