Urgent Care Clinician Competencies

The competencies cited reflect those of a UCA Certified Comprehensive Urgent Care Center.  Specialty locations such as pediatric or occupational medicine centers should use this resource as a foundation for establishing their own set of competencies, distinguishing their clinical services from retail clinics and advancing the specialty of Urgent Care medicine. 

Competencies (including the necessary equipment, supplies, and support staff) to be available during all posted hours for walk-in patients of all ages (unless specifically advertised and clearly represented as an age-limited center).

Download the Competencies PDF

EMERGENCY CARE
• Basic Life Support (BLS), Clinical Staff and Clinicians – Recommended clinicians stay up to date on ACLS/ PALS standards
• Rule out emergent presentations (life or limb threatening)/patient triage

DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT
• Initial X-ray interpretation
• Initial EKG interpretation
• Laboratory test interpretation
• Placement/ management/ complication awareness of IVs
• Lab draws/ phlebotomy
• Minor illnesses
• Acute allergic reaction
• Allergies (seasonal)
• Asthma/ COPD with medication administration 
• Cellulitis, lymphangitis
• Dermatological conditions including acne, tinea, impetigo, insect bites, scabies, lice, sunburn, warts, dermatitis, varicella zoster, poison ivy-sumac-oak
• Headache including migraines
• Chest pain—initial evaluation
• Gastrointestinal Illnesses—initial evaluation
• Non-traumatic limb pain—initial evaluation
• Infectious disease including upper respiratory, urinary tract, skin, eye, and ear; to include all required regulatory reporting
• Neurological conditions and screening (cranial nerves, gait, sensory, upper, and lower motor neuron disorders)
• Overdose

EXAMS
• Physicals (e.g., sports, camp, employment)
• Pelvic examination, including foreign body removal (vaginal)
• Sexual health diagnosis and reporting

EYE INJURIES
• Morgan lens irrigation
• Magnified corneal examination
• Eyelid eversion w/ eyelid foreign body removal
• Treatment of chemical conjunctivitis
• Treatment of corneal abrasion
• Removal of corneal foreign bodies

ENT
• Anterior nasal packing
• Non-angulated nasal fracture care
• Ear lavage/ cerumen removal
• Removal of foreign body, ear, and nose

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES, LESIONS, FOREIGN BODIES, BURNS, BITES, & INJECTIONS
• Contusions, sprains, strains, and tendonitis
• Burn and blister care including partial thickness debridement
• Bites: animal and human
• Exploration/ removal of foreign body
• Needle aspiration: cyst, bursa
• Incision & drainage (abscess, hematoma, paronychia)
• Mallet finger

LACERATION REPAIR, NAIL EXCISION & REPAIR
• Ingrown nail excision
• Superficial repair (any length)
• Subcutaneous sutures
• Assessment and initial stabilization of uncomplicated tendon lacerations, with appropriate referral
• Digital blocks

FRACTURES, DISLOCATIONS, SEPARATIONS, & SUBLUXATIONS
• Acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation, grades 1 & 2
• Nursemaid’s elbow reduction
• Phalangeal dislocation reduction
• Non-displaced and minimally displaced fractures (w/o neurovascular compromise), initial evaluation, care and follow-up
• Tufts fractures

EQUIPMENT APPLICATION & TRAINING
• Crutch/ assistive device training
• Splinting, DME application