Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Silent Threat in Urgent Care

Winter is here, and patients with URI symptoms are pouring into urgent care. Patient after patient with similar complaints can feel like you’re on rinse and repeat all day long. 

Patella Dislocation: A PA Moms Perspective

Her scream reached a pitch I had never heard from her before. It was nine in the evening, and she was playing with her sister, engaged in lively roughhousing before bedtime. When I hurried out of the kitchen, I found her lying on her back, clutching her leg, and there was no mistaking a patellar dislocation. Without hesitation, I switched into urgent care mode, aided by my husband, and successfully reduced her patella. Seeing a dislocated patella is always visually unsettling, whether it’s your first time or not.

Pharmacology Review: MedMix: Navigating Urgent Care & Psych Med Synergy

Does anyone else find themselves relying heavily on your EMR system's medication interaction checker when prescribing medications or considering medication management? If you're like me, it’s a vital part of my workflow. 

Exploring Non-Opioid Pain Treatments in the Urgent Care

Treating acute pain is a challenge we face during every urgent care shift. We’re all aware of the devastation that the opioid crisis has had on millions of people worldwide. And this epidemic - marked by addiction, overdose, and unintended consequences - has highlighted the need for alternative treatments to manage pain.

As clinicians, we regularly encounter patients wanting or expecting opioids to treat their pain. For years, opioids were the go-to option. We’ve since learned that even short-term opioid  prescriptions can lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction, making them a potentially risky choice for pain management.¹ However, not all providers are comfortable or possess the knowledge to discuss safer and more effective alternatives to opioid medications.