2South Inpatient Psych Unit Secretary BWFH

Mass General Brigham•Jamaica Plain, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Unit Secretary works under the supervision of the Nursing Director as a member of the Unit Based Patient Care Team. The role performs secretarial duties and coordinates unit procedures to support professional, efficient department operations and quality patient care. The position provides indirect, patient- and family-centered support appropriate to the ages of patients served, receives visitors, and responds to patient and family needs. The Unit Secretary coordinates unit resources and information, including phone calls, medical records, patient tests and appointments, admissions, transfers, discharges, supplies, equipment requests, and communications among the healthcare team and other departments. The position also provides clerical support, helps maintain a safe and welcoming environment, and may provide backup patient transport coverage or float to other units as requested.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience in a medical or customer-service setting is preferred; 1–2 years preferred.
Excellent interpersonal skills for interacting with patients, visitors, and hospital personnel.
Ability to work as a team member and promote a caring, collegial attitude.
Ability to work under stressful conditions, adapt to changing pace, interruptions and emergencies, and work around acutely ill patients.
Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks using well-developed organizational skills.
Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, including communication through voicemail and email.
Flexibility and willingness to adapt to a diverse role on the unit-based patient care team.
Ability to provide indirect care appropriate to the ages of patients served; the unit’s patients range from adolescent to geriatric.
Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods.
Ability to assist with lifting and carrying up to 20 pounds and with transporting patients on and off the pod.
Demonstrated customer-service skills.
Must adhere to I C.A.R.E. standards.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree preferred.
Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
Strong computer knowledge, including Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

Support safe unit operations, identify safety issues, initiate appropriate follow-up, and notify the charge nurse of concerns with physician orders.
Respond to patient and family needs in a timely, caring manner and follow the organization’s C.A.R.E. standards for communication, appearance, and respect.
Collaborate with the Patient Care Team and other departments to help ensure smooth and efficient unit operations.
Maintain patient confidentiality and support a culturally diverse staff and patient population; refer patient or family concerns to the appropriate leader.
Order, expedite, and distribute unit, clerical, and patient-care supplies as directed; maintain supply levels and order supplies through eBUY, including Workflow One.
Keep the work area and office equipment neat and functioning; initiate and track Facilities, Biomed, Housekeeping, and IT requests, and arrange repairs for malfunctioning equipment.
Assist the Nursing Director with unit projects and serve as a liaison with ancillary services and other departments.
Provide backup patient transport coverage, including escorting discharge patients and families.
Answer and coordinate unit phone calls, take and deliver messages, and place pages or calls at the request of clinical staff.
Participate in shift handoffs with the incoming or outgoing unit secretary and charge RN.
Coordinate and notify staff about paperwork arriving on the unit, including fax referrals.
Maintain, label, organize, and file patient medical records and test results according to hospital policies and procedures; request and maintain older records as needed.
Schedule diagnostic tests, appointments, and consultations as directed by a physician or RN.
Coordinate discharge logistics, including transportation and equipment.
Perform clerical admission, transfer, and discharge tasks using the bed management system, ensuring records, labels, belongings, and pertinent information accompany patients during transfers.
Enter, update, or print unit information and reports, including bed management activity, diet order sheets, advance care directives, code status, medication reconciliation and restraint reports, Quadramed assignment sheets, and recovery charges or billing information as applicable.
Check the Quadramed list by 11:30 a.m., notify the charge nurse of unclassified inpatients, and remind staff to complete Quadrameds.
Copy patient charts and other materials as requested.
Use Meditech to access and update administrative screens, enter transport and PASSPORT orders, and print specimen labels, kardexes, and medication administration reports.
Anticipate discharges and transfers; notify admitting and the nursing supervisor, update the charge nurse or clinical leader, and enter tentative discharges in the bed management system as applicable on designated shifts.
Communicate with healthcare team members using the VOCERA device.
Interact with members of the healthcare team to support interdisciplinary, patient- and family-centered care; answer patient call lights and communicate requests to clinical staff.
Provide clerical support to unit staff and float to other pods or units as requested by the Nursing office.
Receive and orient visitors, provide basic information about unit operations, and present a positive public image.
Maintain required hospital and unit-secretary competencies; seek relevant continuing education, orient or precept new personnel as assigned, cross-train and float as needed, attend staff meetings or review minutes, and attend the annual Safety Fair.
Understand unit quality indicators and participate in quality improvement projects, committees, and SEAQ programs as directed.
Respond to patient and family needs by answering call lights and the telephone in a timely manner.
Perform other duties as assigned.