Unit Secretary - PRN

Summary of Duties

Observes cardiac monitors and notifies staff of any changes in dysrhythmias. Provides support for the nursing station which includes answering telephones, answering the patient call lights, maintaining charts, transcribing physicians’ orders, and keeping adequate supplies of forms and general supplies. Greets physicians, families, and visitors.

Essential Job Functions

1. Answers telephones at the unit in a professional, courteous, and informative manner.
2. Takes complete and accurate messages.
3. Greets visitors, physicians, families, vendors, and others entering the facility professionally and courteously providing information as needed.
4. Promptly answers, processes, locates, and dispatches staff from calls received from the nurse call system. Notifies the supervisor or manager of those staff who cannot be located.
5. Assists the Nurse Manager in ensuring all nurse and PCT assignments are documented in the Assignment Book.
6. Communicates with co-workers in a respectful and courteous manner.
7. Answers call lights and relays information promptly to nursing or other ancillary staff.
8. Assembles, identifies, and maintains patient medical records. Assures that open medical records on the unit are maintained in an organized manner, and files reports and other documents in the record in a timely and complete manner as obtained.
9. Reports to the Director of Clinical Services or Administrator of History and Physicals not in the patient’s file within 24 hours of admission or of signatures that cannot be obtained.
10. Obtains signed consents and authorizations from patients and/or families during the admission process, and assists nursing staff with admission process as requested.
11. Transcribes physicians’ orders on Medication Administration Records, Kardex, Treatment Plans, etc. and notifies nursing of discrepancies.
12. Assists in arranging for and making patient appointments for diagnostic and therapeutic services.
13. Files diagnostic reports, special procedure forms, restraint forms, consults, etc. in the medical record.
14. Schedules and provides follow-up regarding ancillary services sent outside the facility.
15. Prepares an outpatient folder with all necessary chart copies for all outpatient surgeries and procedures.
16. Prepares and maintains a minimum of 10 admission packets at all times.
17. Maintains logs of patients sent out of the facility for services, those receiving blood/blood products, restraints, and other data as assigned.
18. Assists Medical Record Coordinator or designee with transferring of open medical records to closed record status upon a patient’s discharge, and with record reviews as requested.
19. Organizes and maintains adequate supplies of all forms at the nursing station which are used in the medical records.
20. Enters new diet orders and/or diet changes into the order entry computer system.
21. Runs errands to obtain supplies, medications, etc.
22. Assists physicians, nursing staff, ancillary staff, and management with copying, typing, filing, and other clerical functions.
23. Performs new patient admissions, patient transfers, and patient discharges in the CPSI system.
24. Ensures all discharges are deleted from the host hospital computer system.
25. Maintain an orderly and clean nurses’ station.
26. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

High School Diploma or GED Required

Experience

Minimum of one year of experience in a clerical position, hospital setting strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements for Essential Job Functions

1. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally, 20 pounds frequently, and 10 pounds constantly.
2. Must be able to write and have gross and fine motor skills to operate equipment in the work area.
3. Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately, so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.