Unit Secretary and Nursing Assistant, Acute Care

WellSpan Health•Lewisburg, PA

About The Position

The Unit Secretary and Nursing Assistant supports the Acute Care team on a 28-bed Medical Surgical unit serving patients with a broad range of medical and surgical diagnoses and varying acuity levels. The role combines reception, communication, medical-record, scheduling, supply-management, and direct patient-care duties. It serves as a central contact for visitors and telephone calls and helps distribute paper and electronic communications, laboratory results, and test results. The position also provides clinical support to patient-care staff, including taking vital signs, assisting with activities of daily living, and, when assigned, performing EKGs and point-of-care testing. This is a part-time position scheduled for 40 hours biweekly. Shifts vary and may include 6:45 a.m.–7:15 p.m., 6:45 a.m.–3:15 p.m., or 2:45 p.m.–11:15 p.m. Weekend and holiday rotation is required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Less than one year of relevant experience.
Basic Life Support certification required upon hire.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Excellent computer skills and ability to use various software applications in a Windows environment.

Nice To Haves

Certified Nurse Aide certification upon hire preferred.
Completion of a unit secretary course and medical terminology training preferred upon hire.

Responsibilities

Provide general nursing and personal-care assistance, including bathing, dressing, eating, changing linens and bed pans, and positioning patients.
Assist with preparing and transporting patients for tests and procedures.
Monitor patient condition and report changes or urgent information to the appropriate care providers, including the Registered Nurse.
Acknowledge patient alarms and notify the appropriate care provider as needed.
Maintain appropriate stock levels in patient rooms, nursing areas, supply carts, and assigned units; order and replenish supplies and equipment, and notify a supervisor when reorder points are reached.
Greet, direct, and assist physicians, visitors, patients, and ancillary department staff; orient patients to their rooms as appropriate.
Answer telephones courteously, respond to intercom and email, provide accurate information or direct inquiries to the appropriate resource, and route emergency messages to appropriate personnel.
Maintain confidentiality when handling communications and patient information.
Enter and retrieve information in computer files and applications used for patient management, census, acuity, bed tracking, transport, and related functions; remain current with system and application upgrades and assist others with applications.
Create, assemble, copy, prepare, and maintain patient medical records and charts, ensuring required forms and documentation are present and flagging missing items.
Transcribe orders and document them in paper or electronic records; place pharmacy orders on the MAR; follow up on orders; and ensure verbal orders are signed according to hospital policy.
Perform data entry, filing, photocopying, and chart preparation in accordance with applicable policies.
Schedule tests, procedures, and other patient services; coordinate sequencing, patient activity tolerance, and special needs with clinical care providers as appropriate.
Consult appropriate clinical and nonclinical personnel to resolve concerns involving medical records, ancillary results, or patient and family inquiries.
Report actual and potential patient, family, staff, and departmental problems to team members and the charge nurse or nurse manager; communicate service delays, difficulties, and changes to routine.
Apply knowledge of growth and development across the assigned patient population, interpret age-specific patient data, and provide appropriate age-specific care.
Follow safety regulations, report errors and hazards, identify opportunities to improve safety and standardize processes, and participate in required safety education and root-cause analyses.
Maintain effective communication and respectful, courteous, empathetic relationships with patients, visitors, staff, and other disciplines; assist others and take a proactive approach to problem solving.
Follow the system's mission, vision, goals, objectives, and patient-care philosophy; identify learning needs and participate in education, meetings, committees, and community outreach as applicable.
Provide outstanding customer service, foster teamwork, and practice fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation.