I was the first person patients encountered at an Orthopedic Private Practice (Employment). I asked them a series of questions (Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Exposure to anyone with COVID in last x days, etc)...then I take their temperature, and depending on all the other stuff, give them an evaluation form they need and allow them to be officially admitted for their appointment. I had to make some discretionary decisions (temperature high based on sickness or weather outside/temp misread, assess if Patient has physical needs that would require physical assistance, cough due to cold?, muscle aches due to recent surgery or illness, date of last covid test & results).
Depending on how close they were to 99.6, how many times they read that temperature, and my observations from the evaluation form (we had specific policies to follow, but many were based on personal judgement), I'd make a decision. Sometimes it'd be fine, sometimes it wouldn't, but I had to relay all of that information to the Doctor, through the front desk: sometimes they decided they would not admit the patient, and always personally thanked me in these instances and others (one Doctor was pregnant); other times my discretion was overruled and the patient was admitted.
I had to find the patients name on the forms with the Patient Info and confirm identity while ensuring other patients sensitive information were kept private (many patients wanted to look for their name on the private forms, which was a little lesson I had to learn early), I also had to give people masks who didn't have them, communicate in Spanish for certain Patients who arrived before or their translator (not a part of my job, but came in handy), and deal with all the people that wanted to take my head off.
Shadowing I just followed the PA (running an underserved/at-risk Family practice clinic) by himself (I guess there's a doctor that supervises, but I've never seen him). I go around to the different Patient rooms, and then go back to his office with him and watch him do all the paperwork on the computer, and then we go over each case. Figured it'd help me get a picture of if I really want to be a Doctor and help me learn the differences between the Doctor, NP, and PA.
@Catalystik
