Fay Hospital Unit Secretary

DCH Health Care Authority•Fayette, AL

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of an RN, the Hospital Unit Secretary assists with planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating nursing-station activities. The role performs clerical and receptionist duties and helps maintain the unit’s physical environment. It supports safe, smooth unit operations by monitoring cardiac-monitor status, communicating alarms and rhythm changes to staff, and ensuring qualified coverage of the monitor station during breaks and lunch. The secretary also handles order transcription and entry, medical-record assembly and maintenance, telephone and intercom communications, supply inventory, unit logs, and documentation. The position helps keep the nursing unit clean, organized, well supplied, and safe; responds promptly to patient needs; follows hand-hygiene and patient-identification practices; and supports performance-improvement activities. Additional duties include monitoring the VSB Sepsis tracker and immediately notifying the RN of a positive sepsis indicator, watching the bed-request board, and assigning rooms for admissions in a timely manner. The role requires onsite presence and use of electronic mail, time-and-attendance and learning-management software, the intranet, and MEDITECH software. Work is performed in 12-hour shifts, up to 48 hours per week.

Requirements

Computer and/or computer software knowledge or experience.
Approved prior experience in clerical functions or completion of in-service education classes.
High school education or equivalent.
Ability to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.
Ability to use MEDITECH software and electronic mail, time-and-attendance software, learning-management software, and the intranet.
Ability to tolerate prolonged periods of sitting, standing, or walking; move around the nurses’ station; bend, twist, reach in any direction, and walk short distances.
Ability to move fingers in a coordinated manner.
Ability to perform light work, exerting up to 20 pounds occasionally, up to 10 pounds frequently, and negligible force constantly to move objects.
Ability to perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
Normal or corrected-to-within-normal-range hearing and vision; ability to see details at close range.
Ability to listen to and understand spoken information and read and understand written information.
Ability to develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish work.
Physical presence onsite is essential.

Responsibilities

Coordinate nursing-unit functions to support safe and smooth operations.
Observe cardiac-monitoring status for all patients.
Ensure the monitor station is attended by qualified staff during breaks and lunch.
Notify staff of monitor alarms, cardiac-rhythm changes, and leads-off alarms.
Perform a monitor count each shift to ensure all monitors are present in the area.
Transcribe orders accurately and demonstrate working knowledge of order entry and physician-order transcription.
Assemble, maintain, and disassemble medical records.
Answer telephones and intercoms, direct calls, and communicate messages.
Respond promptly to patient needs and consistently perform basic duties, including hand hygiene and use of two patient identifiers.
Order and maintain an inventory of supplies and use supplies economically.
Maintain equipment and nursing units in a clean and safe manner.
Document accurately according to policies and procedures and maintain required unit logs.
Apply safety principles, identify unsafe practices, and take appropriate action to reduce risks and hazards to patients, visitors, and employees.
Assist with performance-improvement activities, including serving on teams as warranted, supporting measures, and implementing changes.
Monitor the VSB Sepsis tracker and immediately notify the RN of a positive sepsis indicator.
Watch the bed-request board and assign patient rooms for admissions in a timely manner.
Greet visitors, determine the purpose of their visit, and direct them to appropriate staff.
Schedule appointments and fax documents.
Orient new unit secretaries.
Perform other duties as assigned and adhere to DCH policies, procedures, and behavioral standards.