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What is Code Hula Hoop? ‘The Pitt’ Season 2 Episode 12 preview teases chaotic ER moment

'The Pitt' Season 2 episode 12 will see the staff scrambling to control the situation as the code leads to more mayhem and disruption.

After the release of 'The Pitt' Episode 11 on Wednesday, HBO Max dropped a preview for next week's episode. It shows the staff at the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center facing a new crisis. In the 30-second clip, the hospital staff is seen running towards something or someone, with one person stopping to inform Dr. Robby that there's a 'Code Hula Hoop in Central 14.' The interesting name has left fans confused about what the medical emergency really means. But it's clearly a big deal, as Robby starts racing with the others after hearing the code. Episode 12, titled '6:00 p.m.,' will air on March 26 on HBO Max. 

The preview also mentions 'a hospital worker assault,' which gives a certain insight into 'Code Hula Hoop.' Viewers who watched episode 11 already know that the drunk patient, golfer Curtis Larson, put Nurse Emma in a chokehold in room 14 at the end of the episode. So, it most probably refers to her situation. But it could also turn out to be something entirely different, such as restraining an out-of-control patient or cordoning off the room for a police investigation. It makes sense to assume that Code Hula Hoop refers to a chokehold, but you never know.          

All hospitals use specific codes to alert staff to a medical emergency or warning; for example, Code Black implied a cyberattack earlier in Season 2 of the medical drama series. But these codes are not universal and hence can mean different things at different hospitals. In the 'Grey's Anatomy' universe, Code Black was used to signal a bomb threat. Moreover, some codes are standard across hospitals, such as Code Red, which indicates a fire emergency, and Code Blue, which signals a cardiac arrest. 

From the start of 'The Pitt' Season 2, PTMC's ER has been at full capacity, with danger and chaos lurking at every corner. So, the code could very well be referring to another emergency unfolding with a different patient. Another scene shows how the episode's events take an emotional toll on Nurse Dana. Also, at the end of the trailer, Dr. Baran tells Robby, "I'm very concerned with what I witnessed today with some of the staff," hinting at another major crisis with consequences over the next few episodes. We'll have to wait until next week to find out what 'Code Hula Hoop' actually means and see how Robby and his team navigate through the mess. Be sure to tune in to HBO Max next Thursday at 9 p.m. ET to find out the answer.