Urgent Care's staff wholeheartedly and passionately care about each patient that walks through the door. Each employee is very dedicated in treating all patients with dignity and respect in their own way. During the pandemic, patients were mostly going to Urgent Care due to most primary physician clinics being closed for inpatient visits or only accepting tele-visits, where Urgent Care (UC) was the only place to go. The whole staff exhibits Stanford Health Care -- ValleyCare's values and beliefs that encompass a Caring H.E.A.R.T. All of the UC staff is compassionate, selfless, and caring towards their patients and each other. They are understanding and truly empathize with each individual's medical issues, no matter how serious or simple the case may be.

For example, a homeless patient once came to the UC with an infected wound and was taken care of by the nurse who accommodated the patient's needs and concerns, making sure the patient felt comfortable during the visit. The patient then proceeded to state, "Thank you for not judging me, and for helping me." This is just one of many examples of the compassion and care shown by the UC staff.

Registration, ED technicians, nurses, and the providers work very well together in the UC. Why? Due to the honest and hard work each and every individual shows in their jobs. When mistakes are made, all staff own up to their mistakes and make the effort to learn from them, to improve their skills. Each individual is accountable for their own actions. Staff nurses do call-backs the following day as a courtesy, to follow up on the patient's health and to answer any questions or concerns; i.e., a patient came back to the UC three times because she does not have a primary care physician and was unable to get an orthopedic consult from the Axis community clinic. The on-site provider was kind enough to give the patient a referral to see an orthopedist.

The UC is known for its excellence and education. A perfect example would be the LTR scores. The LTR scores have been maintained and improved since the year 2017. As an example, the unit has been awarded numerous times at both Livermore and Dublin locations for their excellent LTR scores. To improve our education, the staff stay up to date with their skills; management sets up a "skills day," they have a weekly huddle, and a monthly staff meeting where all staff are able to input their knowledge and suggestions.

Advocacy is crucial when it comes to nurse-patient care. UC always keeps C-I-CARE in mind. Connecting with patients and making them feel comfortable during their visit is something the nurses and staff do not fail to implement. Nurses in the UC promote patients' greater understanding of their medical condition, to make the correct decision for their health. All staff treats each patient with respect. They value individuals’ needs, cultural values/religious beliefs, and gender preferences. Patients get an individual plan of care based on their preferences. Language/ASL translators are used to meet patients' needs, and all individuals are treated the same, despite their age, socioeconomic background, race, culture, and educational level. For example, a patient was seen in the clinic and spoke only Mandarin, was alone, and felt scared. The nurse used the video interpreter, and the patient was given proper treatment and an individualized discharge plan. The patient was very thankful that the staff accommodated her needs for a translator and felt comfortable during her visit in UC.

The UC staff is the definition of teamwork. When it comes to patient care, all nurses, techs, and providers come together to care for a patient in case of an emergency. For example, there once was a patient that came in with a serious dog bite at the Livermore location, resulting in a nearly detached digit, which then needed to be transferred to the ED. UC staff worked together to administer medications, give orders, give report to the ED, manage the 911 transport call, vital signs, IV insertion, and communication to implement an early dispatch to the ED. It is never one nurse per patient; that patient is everyone's responsibility to provide comfort and the best care.