Unit Secretary/Nursing Attendant - Short Term Observation

WellSpan Health•Chambersburg, PA

About The Position

The Unit Secretary/Nursing Attendant works in a 13-bed Short Term Observation Unit specializing in short-term monitoring, assessment, and treatment to determine whether patients can be discharged or require hospital admission. The role combines unit clerical and communication duties with selected patient-care tasks delegated by a licensed nurse. The employee is accountable for assigned duties for which they have been trained and is expected to recognize physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes relevant to the age and population groups served. An individualized, comprehensive orientation program is provided. This is a full-time position at 0.9 FTE (72 hours biweekly), working nights from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and every third weekend. Shift and weekend differentials are available. The position may float to other Patient Services areas as needed.

Requirements

High school graduate or equivalent.
Experience applying customer service behaviors and communication skills.
Proficiency using computers, fax machines, and related equipment.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification or licensure.

Nice To Haves

Graduate of a nursing educational program.
Prior clerical experience in a healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

Remain calm, reassuring, and proficient during emergencies; adapt to changing workloads and prioritize tasks.
Receive, place, and transfer telephone calls using appropriate etiquette and positive customer service.
Assist with orientation of new staff by sharing knowledge and skills and providing friendly, encouraging support.
Maintain appropriate quantities of forms, materials, and supplies.
Accurately record or enter required information, including patient charges and appointments.
Initiate, assemble, and maintain patient charts for the assigned unit.
Under RN supervision, accurately transcribe physician orders using Epic.
Seek guidance as needed and advise appropriate personnel of situations requiring attention or follow-up.
Maintain chart checks to help ensure orders are not missed, where applicable.
Assist with emergencies as directed by the shift charge nurse and promptly report patient problems to a direct care provider.
Support physicians in retrieving clinical information from the electronic medical record.
Maintain patient assignment boards, therapy boards, or trackers.
Complete appropriate forms after a patient's death, including contacting CORE and notifying the funeral home and coroner when necessary.
Attend 50% of staff or committee meetings and in-services for the area.
Maintain and activate downtime forms during planned and unplanned Epic downtime.
Float to other Patient Services areas to cover assigned duties as needed.
Transport medications within the hospital according to hospital policy when requested and needed.
Communicate pertinent information to the primary nurse and follow instructions accurately and cooperatively.
Help maintain a neat, clean, and safe environment for patients and nursing staff.
Perform assigned duties independently, accurately, efficiently, and promptly, recognizing their relationship to patient care across age and population groups.
Observe changes in patient condition and promptly report them to the primary nurse.
Use proper body mechanics and safely position, transfer, and transport patients.
Help maintain patient-care equipment and report malfunctioning equipment to appropriate personnel.
Assist with orientation of new personnel, including serving as a preceptor or buddy.
Recognize and respond to patient-care priorities, changing workloads, and emergency situations.
Anticipate unit needs and promptly respond to patient call lights, pages, and safety checks.
Assist with postmortem care and occasionally transport a body to the morgue.
Perform external cardiac compressions during Code Blue activities if required.