Parents, Beware of Urgent Care Centers

On Sunday night, February 2, 2014, my two- year-old nephew was taken to an Urgent Care in a different town because the local office was closed. His eye was somewhat swelled because he had hit it the night before. He was crying throughout the day because his ear hurt. The Nurse Practitioner did not give him anything for his eye. She just told my sister-in-law to put an ice pack on it and to call back the next day if he wasn’t any better. She said he had strep throat, but did not test him for it. She said by the time she tested him there wouldn’t be anything left. She said, “That’s what were going to treat him for.”

Well, my sister-law made an appointment with his pediatrician in Athens and they were appalled the nurse practitioner didn’t give him anything for his eye. He had to have two shots because they don’t want him to have any damage behind his eye. This could have been treated Sunday night. I would urge anyone who has a toddler to NEVER take your child to an Urgent Care Center! We live 50 miles from his pediatrician and were trying to get him better on the weekend, but instead they did nothing.

I do not recommend Urgent Care offices for children. They might be good for adults, but we have wasted two trips there and won’t be back. If we need anything on the weekends, we will be going to Athens Regional Emergency Room.

This isn’t my only complaint. A few weeks ago, we took my other nephew to Urgent Care and the same Nurse Practitioner suggested putting Crisco in his hair to treat flakes. He was there about a cough. Her remark was, “It worked for my two kids.” My sister-in-law didn’t ask her anything about his hair. Then, she didn’t even take his temperature until the end of the appointment, which required getting him out of the car seat because she had forgotten. The time saved in going to Urgent Care is nothing compared to possibly saving a life. Whatever happened to people entering the medical field because they genuinely care about patients, young and old?

This kind of behavior is unacceptable, and I felt compelled to say something so this doesn’t happen to another child.


Sincerely,
The Sanders family (including immediate and extended family)