Urgent Care Clinical Safety Protocols and Standards

1. Patient Intake and Triage

Initial Assessment

• Conduct immediate triage for life-threatening conditions
• Document vital signs within 5 minutes of arrival
• Implement standardized triage scoring system (ESI 1-5)

Infection Control

• Screen for communicable diseases at entry
• Provide masks and hand sanitizer
• Maintain isolation protocols for high-risk patients

2. Clinical Operations

Staff Safety

• Required PPE protocols by procedure type
• Sharps handling and disposal procedures
• Chemical and biological hazard management

Emergency Response

• Crash cart checking protocol (daily)
• Code blue response procedures
• Emergency evacuation routes and protocols

3. Medication Safety

Storage and Handling

• Temperature monitoring requirements
• Controlled substance protocols
• Look-alike/sound-alike medication protocols

Administration

• Two-person verification for high-risk medications
• Standardized labeling system
• Documentation requirements

4. Equipment Safety

Maintenance

• Daily equipment checks
• Calibration schedules
• Cleaning and sterilization protocols

Documentation

• Equipment maintenance logs
• Incident reporting procedures
• Safety inspection records

5. Patient Care Areas

Environmental Safety

• Slip and fall prevention
• Proper lighting requirements
• Emergency exit accessibility

Cleaning Protocols

• Room turnover procedures
• Terminal cleaning schedule
• Biohazard management

6. Documentation and Reporting

Safety Events

• Incident report requirements
• Near-miss documentation
• Monthly safety reviews

Quality Metrics

• Patient safety indicators
• Staff compliance monitoring
• Quarterly safety audits