Urgent Care Qualifications

DowntheRiver · Oct 22, 2018

Depends on your facility. I worked Urgent Care as a new grad. We were a BLS facility BUT we were across the street from the hospital where patients didn't want to wait. So, we saw a lot of chest pain and possible strokes. We had to call 911 to transport but I would usually get an EKG, line in, and nitro/aspirin if doc wanted. I got my ACLS after a couple of close calls but we always remained a BLS facility so it didn't matter. We did have 1/1000 and 1/10,000 epi and glucagon. Only used glucagon once and 1/1000 epi IM for anaphylaxis 5-6 times a week. I did a lot of strep and flu tests, ear lavage, IM injections, breathing treatments, assisting with suturing, wound care, splinting, venipunctures, and IVs with fluids. Where I worked, only doctors and nurses could give meds so 90% of the time nurses were giving meds.

I actually liked the work and would still work there but my boss reneged on his agreement for me to work every third weekend so I was literally working every weekend.

Lipoma, BSN, RN · Oct 22, 2018

I interviewed at a UC as a new grad and the only qualifications they required was RN and BLS. They did have ACLS equipment like intubation kits...but that was for the providers. I ended up accepting an ER position over the UC position.

Checkers08, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 22, 2018

Different facilities have different requirements. Ours require BLS, ACLS, and PALS for nurses and providers and BLS only for everyone else (medical assistants, radiology, registration).

jrt4 · Oct 23, 2018

thank you for your feedback. We typically only staff with LPN and QMA which limits some of our ability to do more advanced procedures in the clinic. I have been in urgent care for a short time, most of my background is inpatient so this is a new world for me.

mdavis2018 · Oct 23, 2018

Most of the local UC in my area require staff with LPN and QMA . It is true that the services they can provide are limited, which can results in patient referrals