u/Living-Menu4916

I work in urgent care where we often have only two nurses and absolutely no support staff. We handle triage, rooming based on acuity, all nursing duties within our scope, constant verbal medication orders, and all patient follow-up and lab results.
There’s no triage nurse assessing patients on arrival, so we rely on reported chief complaints to determine acuity. I’ve seen patients with aneurysms sit in the waiting room because they thought they just had a “headache.”

I’ve had zero formal training in managing high-acuity emergencies, and we have no protocols in place for seizures, strokes, anaphylaxis, psychotic episodes, overdoses, or MIs. We manage these situations as best we can until EMS arrives.
I’m concerned about patient safety and the responsibility placed on us, especially when I’m making about $5/hour less than nurses at surrounding facilities.

Is this the reality of nursing now with staffing shortages and budget cuts, or is my workplace particularly concerning?

Hi everyone!
I’m a new RN in an urgent care. We see a great deal of high acuity situations, and as nurses we don’t always have a provider available immediately. I’m really good at staying calm, and I know to prioritize ABC, and neurological assessment; however, I don’t always know what else to do and where to go after initial assessment. What order of operation do you have to assure patient safety in emergent situations? As much as I don’t freak out on the outside, on the inside I’m panicking because I’m not a skilled or experienced enough nurse to really know how to properly handle these situations. I’d love some advice and things that can help my skills and confidence.