2South Inpatient Psych Unit Secretary BWFH

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

2d•$20 - $29•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 efficient department operations and quality patient care. Responsibilities include managing unit communications, coordinating with healthcare team members and other departments, scheduling tests and appointments, maintaining medical records, tracking requests, and coordinating admissions, transfers, and discharges. The position provides indirect, age-appropriate patient- and family-centered support, receives visitors, and responds to patient and family needs. This position does not require direct patient care. The Unit Secretary helps maintain a safe, organized, and professional unit environment; supports supply and equipment needs; and provides clerical and logistical support to clinical staff. The role requires collaboration, confidentiality, flexibility, and the ability to work effectively amid interruptions and changing unit activity. The assigned unit serves patients ranging from adolescent to geriatric. This is an onsite, per-diem position with rotating shifts. Employees are expected to work 16 shifts in six months, including at least one to two weekend shifts per month, with weekend and holiday rotation. Shifts are at least eight hours. The posted pay range is $19.76–$29.35 per hour.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience in a medical or customer-service setting; 1–2 years preferred.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office.
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, emergencies, and 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 varied responsibilities as part of the unit-based patient care team.
Ability to provide indirect care appropriate to patients ranging 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.
Maintain confidentiality of patient information and respect a culturally diverse staff and patient population.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree preferred.
Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.

Responsibilities

Help maintain a safe environment, identify safety issues, and initiate appropriate follow-up; notify the charge nurse of concerns related to physician orders.
Ensure patient and family needs are addressed in a timely, caring manner and uphold the organization’s C.A.R.E. standards.
Collaborate with the Patient Care Team and other departments to support smooth unit operations and resolve service-related issues.
Order, expedite, and distribute unit, clerical, and patient-care supplies; maintain work areas and office equipment; and initiate and track facilities, biomedical, housekeeping, and IT requests.
Assist the Nursing Director with unit projects and provide backup patient transport, including escorting discharged patients and families.
Answer and manage unit phone calls, take and deliver messages, place requested pages and calls, and participate in shift handoff communication.
Coordinate paperwork and referrals; maintain, label, organize, copy, and retrieve patient medical records according to hospital policies and procedures.
Schedule diagnostic tests, appointments, and consultations as directed by a physician or RN; coordinate discharge logistics, including transportation and equipment.
Perform clerical tasks for patient admissions, transfers, and discharges using the bed management system, ensuring relevant records and belongings accompany patients.
Enter, update, and print unit data and reports, including bed-management information, diet orders, advance-care directives, code status, medication reconciliation and restraint reports, assignment sheets, and billing information as applicable.
Use Meditech to update administrative data, enter transport and PASSPORT requests, and print specimen labels, kardexes, and medication administration reports.
Anticipate and communicate admissions, discharges, and transfers to appropriate nursing and admitting staff; enter tentative discharges in the bed management system.
Communicate with healthcare team members using the VOCERA device and answer patient call lights, relaying requests to appropriate clinical staff.
Receive and orient visitors, provide basic information about unit operations, and offer clerical support to unit staff.
Float to other pods or units and cross-train as requested; orient or precept new personnel as assigned.
Maintain required competencies, attend staff meetings or review minutes, attend the annual Safety Fair, and seek relevant continuing education.
Participate in quality-improvement projects, committees, and service-excellence and quality programs as directed.
Perform other duties as assigned.