The hidden work of primary care
It was nearing the end of my day at the mobile health clinic where I work as a nurse practitioner, providing free, comprehensive primary care to uninsured patients in central Florida. Clinic was officially over, and we were no longer taking patients; I was signing notes and finishing up some teaching points with a PA student when a woman walked up and asked me if she could “talk to me for a minute, just to ask a quick question.” After many years working in community health, I know these types of requests are rarely “quick,” but, understanding our patients’ limited opportunities access to care, I obliged.
As soon as we walked into a private space, the woman, whom I’ll call Alice, began to unload.
“I’m having all this belly pain. I think it’s from my cervical cancer which has spread to my ovaries. I went to the ER, and the doctors didn’t do anything. They did a pap smear, and I think they’re hiding my cancer from me.” This stream-of-consciousness deluge went on for several minutes while I listened and nodded despite my growing anxiety at having gotten myself in over my head with this unplanned clinical visit.
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Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/michelle-nall" rel="tag" > Michelle Nall, MPH, ANP-BC < /a > Tags: Policy Primary Care Source Type: blogs
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