I worked a fun-filled shift in the urgent care pod.
It is an interesting place, 2 providers, 2 nurses, a secretary, registration clerks, and our very own LNA. it was kind of like the med center when it was an ER, except with more help. And a CT scan for all the abdominal pain work-ups. At one point I had 4 people out of 12 drinking the contrast.
Sometimes you can get pretty sick people depending on the acuity of the department as a whole. Sicker patients overall means sicker patients in urgent care, that's the trickle down effect.
But we still get a steady stream of boo-boo's, hoppers and limpers, head bangs, kids with fever, and the Holy Trinity of Chronic Pain complaints (back pain, migraine, toothache). And career drug seekers.
Partner assisted someone to the door and watched a couple stroll down the street and across the parking lot. She intuited that they would be seen in our ER. She guessed for back pain. Correctly.
Thus she observed the reverse miracle. An upright patient, walking with a spring in his step, became a bent-over, shuffling, moaning, miserable piece of humanity before her eyes.
I've seen lots of miracles. In fact the med center had some lovely shrubbery that we called "Lourdes". We would frequently find crutches, slings, air casts etc in those bushes. Miraculous.
