'Nurse Jackie': Anna Deavere Smith Explains Akalitus' Season 3 Shocker (Exclusive Video)

Nurse Jackie's Gloria Akalitus has set and enforced the rules at All Saints but finally reached her limit in the third season finale.

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In the episode, Akalitus -- the hospital's chief administrator -- harassed the drug-addicted Jackie to cooperate with a urine test that human resources was requiring all of the facility's nurses to complete.

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Knowing it will come back positive, Jackie (Edie Falco) finally cooperates and hands the bagged test to Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) before heading to a confrontation with her husband, Kevin.

In a twist for the character -- and a massive break for Jackie -- Akalitus winds up being the one to break the rules as she throws away the test and what could likely have resulted in a pink slip for the nurse.

In a clip exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, Smith explains just why Akalitus stopped playing by the rules. "This whole affair is creating a big possible mess for Akalitus," she says in the segment, which will be included in the Jackie Season 3 DVD set.

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"The reason she threw the test away had less to do with Jackie and more to do with her own utter disappointment, if not heartbreak, that no one in this hospital system helped her -- Akalitus -- while she was trying to help the hospital," she says.

Check out the clip, above. Nurse Jackie's Season 3 DVD set bows Feb. 21. Season 4 premieres Sunday, April 8 on Showtime.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit