Unit Secretary | Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) | Days

Howard University Hospital • Washington, DC

16h • Onsite

About The Position

As a Unit Secretary in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at Howard University Hospital, you will be the communication and coordination hub at the unit’s central desk — keeping information moving smoothly between the nursing team, physicians, patients, families, and departments across the hospital. Reporting to the Nurse Manager, you will create and maintain accurate patient records, manage incoming communications, and support the day-to-day operational flow that keeps a high-acuity critical care unit running. If you are organized, calm under pressure, and thrive in a fast-paced clinical environment, this is your opportunity to play an essential role in safe, efficient, patient-centered care at one of the nation’s most storied academic medical centers.

Requirements

• High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association
• Familiarity with basic medical terminology
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask and set priorities in a setting that may change unexpectedly
• Effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to follow oral and written instructions
• Exceptional customer service skills and attention to detail
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

Nice To Haves

• One (1) year of secretarial experience

Responsibilities

• Serve as the central communication point for the unit — processing new admissions, responding to inquiries from other departments, and relaying physician requests to ensure timely, accurate information flow among patients, families, and the care team
• Answer the unit telephone and intercom promptly, courteously, and professionally; direct callers, take and deliver messages, and place calls to other departments as needed
• Respond promptly to call lights and notify patient care staff of patient needs
• Receive and direct visitors, patients, and staff, and monitor traffic flow at the unit’s central desk
• Prepare, maintain, and produce patient records that support hospital billing, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, surgery, and other care needs from admission through discharge
• Prepare patient discharge notifications for the business office and coordinate transportation of supplies, specimens, and patients as needed
• Receive and transmit dietary requests to Nutrition Services before posted meal cut-off times
• Maintain an adequate stock of unit supplies and confirm the availability of functioning unit-based equipment, using applicable hospital information systems
• Operate the TeleTracking system to support hospital operations and staff activities, and call in special teams as requested
• Conduct unit rounds at the start and end of each shift to verify room readiness, census accuracy, and patient and bed identification; reconcile the unit-level patient census in accordance with hospital policy
• Perform other related duties as assigned consistent with the scope of the role

Benefits

• health
• disability
• vacation
• sick leave
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Tuition remission at Howard University for you and/or eligible dependent children — up to two (2) courses per semester

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED