Grey’s Anatomy is oftentimes closer to a soap opera than a primetime network television show, which is made clear by the number of times the characters should have been fired from their jobs at Seattle Grace Hospital. In particular, Izzie Stevens, played by Katherine Heigl, broke eight rules during her time on the ABC medical drama series, which should have resulted in her being removed from the hospital. However, Grey’s Anatomy is a fictional show in its own universe with its own set of rules, meaning that the penalty for breaking some regulations in the series isn’t the same as in the real world.
Of course, throughout the series’ 19 seasons, characters have gotten in trouble and even been fired. If there were no consequences for their actions, then the show would not contain any real conflict, resulting in a boring program that undoubtedly would not have lasted as long as it has. Even Izzie was reprimanded a few times throughout the six seasons she was on Grey’s Anatomy, but given her track record, she should have never kept her job as long as she did.
Conducted An Illegal Autopsy With Cristina In Grey’s Anatomy Season 1
Izzie’s first fireable offense came in Grey’s Anatomy season 1, episode 9, when she and Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh, conducted an unauthorized autopsy. During the season 1 finale, the two women received a patient named Jordan Franklin, and they diagnosed him with ascites. Izzie and Cristina performed a paracentesis to drain fluid from his abdomen, even though neither intern had done the procedure before. Unfortunately, Jordan died during the surgery.
The family didn’t want an autopsy and refused to sign off on one, but Izzie and Cristina needed to know if they did something wrong during the procedure. So, they took matters into their own hands and conducted an illegal autopsy on Jordan. The doctors learned that he had an enlarged heart as a result of hemochromatosis, and that is what killed him. Although Miranda Bailey caught Izzie and Cristina in the middle of the autopsy, neither intern was fired, and they didn’t face any consequences for breaking the law in Grey’s Anatomy.
Fell In Love With A Patient
Izzie’s most controversial Grey’s Anatomy storyline came in season 2 when she met Denny Duquette, a patient with viral cardiomyopathy at Seattle Grace Hospital. Denny was admitted to the hospital when a heart transplant became available (which later fell through), and he and Izzie quickly fell in love. At this point, Izzie was still a surgical intern, so one would imagine that she would face serious consequences if she broke any rule, especially after the illegal autopsy in season 1. But Izzie was never reprimanded for becoming romantically involved with her patient.
Cut Denny’s LVAD Wire In Season 2
Falling in love and having romantic relations with Denny while she was one of his doctors was one thing. But the lengths that Izzie went to save him and prioritize him over other patients took it to another level in Grey’s Anatomy. Denny experienced heart failure and was in dire need of a transplant, so while waiting for a heart to become available, Preston Burke inserted an LVAD, a mechanical device that can replace the function of a failing heart.
Denny continued to have complications, and to get a heart for him, Izzie lied and said he was worse than he was. However, the other doctors could not take her word for it, so she cut his LVAD wire, which actually made his heart condition worsen. After cutting it, Izzie manually pumped his heart until the heart transplant procedure could happen. It was a success at first, but later that night, Denny suffered a stroke and died. Izzie cutting Denny’s LVAD wire, which ensured he would get the available heart over other patients, should have resulted in her medical license being revoked in Grey’s Anatomy. However, that never happened.
