Urgent Care Setting

dgclough · Apr 1, 2009

I'm not a FNP but I did work in a Urgent Care setting and the FNP/PA's there saw anywhere from 35 to 95 patients a day. Thats 1 provider (FNP) and 2 to 3 nurses. We did inhouse CBC, UA, Glupoct, uHCG, hPylori, and monos and sent out all other labs. We sutured, did CXR, all extremity xrays, KUB's and sent out all others, did wound packing, ear flushing, multiple other things! The FNP's get a base pay and I ws told it is at $40.00/hr and then production for numbers and procedures only, not labs/xrays...Its very overwhelming for the provider. We had multiple providers of course and depending on their capabilities...Some got completely overwhelmed with the numbers and when we would have over 4 pts waiting (3 in rooms and 4 in waiting rm) they would worry more about upsetting ppl and it stresses them out, others can handle it well!! hope this helps!

caitiecait · Apr 2, 2009

What were their hours like? How many days a week did they work? Did they work weekends and holidays? It sounds like the focus is more on quanity vs. quality care. How much comission would you say they would make yearly for treatments? I dont even know if I can wrap my head around 95 pts!!! :bugeyes:

dgclough · Apr 2, 2009

hours were 9 to 9 everyday but Christmas. if a pt was in the door by 9 pm, then they were seen, i remember staying there til after 1 am and having to be there the next day at 9am. We as nurses were TIRED and we had split up the jobs, 1 of us triaged, 1 was the provider nurse and did shots, procedures, lab draw, xrays etc and 1 (if we had a 3rd) was float and would load the rooms, call backs to patients, referrals, lab draws etc sometimes...I wouldn't have wanted to be a provider, they saw every patient...I know 2 of the providers told me that their bonus' weren't worth anything...they were unable to use their vacation days because sometthing about the bonus/vacation and if they took time off, they didn't get their bonus...unsure what that was all about. I also had a conversation with 1 of the FNP's who said tthat he was making less 15 years after he started than when he started...the providers usually worked 3 days a week (minimum) and somettimes they would call them in if the provider who was on had longer than a 4 hr wait...95 pts was horrible!!! That day we had 1 provider and 2 nurses, it was the day after christmas...Yuck!!! I'm also starting ACNP school with FNP certificate and I wouldn't take this ttype of job just out of college!!!!

Sheri FNP-C · Apr 3, 2009

I can't comment on the salary aspect of Urgent Care. I used to work at one as an RN, and a PA at my last clinical site had recently come from UC. We frequently discussed patient loads. She said on a horrible, busy day she saw 20 patients. Again, considering you might need an hour to suture a complex laceration, that could be a busy 8 hours!

I really liked the diverse patients and complaints at UC, but I really love primary care. It is frustrating to see the same patients over and over at UC because their chronic problems aren't being properly managed by the primary care provider.

Jo Dirt · Apr 3, 2009

I'm going to start a FNP program soon and I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Urgent care sounds so appealing the more I learn about it.