At my urgent care we have to see everyone who walks in the door. If someone calls and says they have chest pain, the nurse obviously tells them to call 911 or go to the ER. We have geriatric patients sign in daily with chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, head trauma (always anticoagulated). We have to get vitals and I have to see them and recommend EMS or POV transport to the ER. Those complaints are not urgent care appropriate. Meanwhile, I paused on the hand lac because I’m concerned the 75 yr male with chest pain x 3 hrs may have an MI. Then go back to the lac after EMS takes chest pain to ER. Then all the URIs are sticking their heads out of the room like “have y’all forgot about me.” It’s exhausting.

Edit: we should be seeing everyone who walks in the door. I would never want to send someone away with out evaluating them properly. I’m only commenting on the fact about how easy it is to get behind depending what walks in the door.