Admittedly, when it comes to health, I am critical, when it comes to judging what is non-urgent, urgent, and emergent. I seem to always check for the doctor’s approval before deciding to take any of the children to the urgent care facility or to the emergency room. The reason is because I don’t want to be judged by others. I feel like unless a limb is hanging abnormally, or a muscle is exposed, the emergency room is out of the question and the doctors will giggle and roll their eyes at my non-urgent emergency. I'm weird, I know.
After making several trips to the urgent care and emergency room for the past 15 years, it seems that others do not share in my conservative approach. Calling the doctor first seems to be a void option.
My son and I were recently waiting in the urgent care facility for a diagnosis of a severe pain below his knee that was not getting any better. We were urged to go to urgent care as per the instruction of the doctor. I am a “check with the doctor first” mom, remember.
As we sat waiting to be called back to the office, we noticed that many of the people coming through the doors, and checking in to be seen by the doctor, didn’t seem like they were in urgent need.
As we eaves dropped on conversations, he and I began writing down the said injury or illness and deciding which were urgent and which were not. Who were we to judge? We were just non-experts having a little bit of fun.
Girl had warts: non-urgent
Man hit in the temple by a foul ball during softball: urgent
Boy had a cough for two days: non-urgent
Toddler had a stomach ache but then ran around the facility: non-urgent
Girl had her wrist stepped on by a soccer teammate and was in pain: urgent
Lady and her friend had Starbucks coffee in their hand. That immediately determines that if she can stop at Starbucks, and laugh on the way back to the examination room: non-urgent
Girl with mild rash on her shin: non-urgent
We had a great time hanging together and playing our game. No one got arrested for assuming that their non-urgent need needed urgency and the doctors carried on as if they were used to treating non-urgent needs in an urgent care facility.
As for me, I will always call the doctor first, unless an eyeball is dangling and blood is pooling.
After making several trips to the urgent care and emergency room for the past 15 years, it seems that others do not share in my conservative approach. Calling the doctor first seems to be a void option.
My son and I were recently waiting in the urgent care facility for a diagnosis of a severe pain below his knee that was not getting any better. We were urged to go to urgent care as per the instruction of the doctor. I am a “check with the doctor first” mom, remember.
As we sat waiting to be called back to the office, we noticed that many of the people coming through the doors, and checking in to be seen by the doctor, didn’t seem like they were in urgent need.
As we eaves dropped on conversations, he and I began writing down the said injury or illness and deciding which were urgent and which were not. Who were we to judge? We were just non-experts having a little bit of fun.
Girl had warts: non-urgent
Man hit in the temple by a foul ball during softball: urgent
Boy had a cough for two days: non-urgent
Toddler had a stomach ache but then ran around the facility: non-urgent
Girl had her wrist stepped on by a soccer teammate and was in pain: urgent
Lady and her friend had Starbucks coffee in their hand. That immediately determines that if she can stop at Starbucks, and laugh on the way back to the examination room: non-urgent
Girl with mild rash on her shin: non-urgent
We had a great time hanging together and playing our game. No one got arrested for assuming that their non-urgent need needed urgency and the doctors carried on as if they were used to treating non-urgent needs in an urgent care facility.
As for me, I will always call the doctor first, unless an eyeball is dangling and blood is pooling.
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