Swamped

You can probably get away with using magic, so long as it isn't too visible and there isn't another mage here. You suppose there's a chance of causing trouble if your younger self notices the ether and becomes aware of his power a few years early, but he isn't here right now. If he somehow is, the timeline's already been thrown off.

So you cast a quick life-sensing spell and...

These records are a mess. Making new ones isn't too hard so far, but whoever they had here last time around clearly didn't have a head for organization. But it'll have to wait for tomorrow. I'll just have to remember to bring some boxes to store them in while I'm sorting through.

Heading out, John?

Yes, I'm calling it a day. My roommate said she had something special planned for dinner to celebrate the new job.

Wouldn't want to keep you, then. We don't usually get a lot of patients at night, I can handle those.

As long as you don't just toss them in a pile when you're done. I've got enough to sort through as it is.

It takes you a moment to realize what's happened. You've got time magic flowing through you, keeping you here. And that ether flowed into your spell, so you ended up detecting people who were here in the recent past.

That also means you've got less time before you get pulled back. Fortunately, as that was a simple spell, you haven't used up too much. But you'll have to be very judicious in your casting, as you don't know how much time you're going to need.

As far as information goes, though, it clarifies why the door is open and the lights are on. One of the doctors on night shift is handling the records for patients who arrive in the middle of the night. He's probably not in there right now, but he might come back at any moment. So the question is if it's worth the risk of discovery, or if you're better off looking elsewhere for information.