A 19-year-old college student with a fever and sore throat requires a rapid strep screen. What ESI level does she fall under?

The correct ESI level for this scenario is determined by assessing the urgency of care needed based on the patient's symptoms and overall condition. In this case, the 19-year-old college student presents with a fever and sore throat, which suggests a potential infection that may require treatment.

Patients with symptoms like a fever and sore throat do not typically require immediate life-saving interventions, which would classify them at a higher level of urgency. Instead, their situation is likely non-life-threatening, allowing for some time before treatment is necessary. ESI level 4 is appropriate here as it indicates a condition that requires evaluation but is not urgent, reflecting that the patient can wait for care while still benefiting from prompt assessment.

Levels such as 5 would suggest that the issue is lower urgency and requires minimal resources, while levels 1 and 2 indicate more severe or urgent conditions that are inappropriate in this context based on the presenting symptoms.