Unit Secretary

Brown Medicine•Providence, RI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the general supervision of the Nurse Manager, the Unit Secretary performs a variety of clerical and administrative support duties. This role coordinates and documents the flow of patient activities and information from admission through discharge or transfer from the unit. Brown University Health employees are expected to model the organization’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, which guide everyday actions with patients, customers, and colleagues. In addition, all employees are expected to demonstrate the organization’s core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences Patient and Community Focus Collaboration Responsibilities Communication and Customer Service.

Requirements

Education equivalent to a high school diploma
Proficient computer skills sufficient to enter and maintain patient data and produce required reports
Knowledge of medical terminology preferred
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks efficiently
Ability to speak, read, and write English clearly
Six months of clerical experience in a healthcare environment strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of medical terminology

Responsibilities

Communicates clearly, concisely, and promptly with unit staff, hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and visitors
Greets patients and visitors in a professional, courteous, and helpful manner
Identifies consumer dissatisfaction and intervenes to resolve concerns or refers issues to appropriate personnel
Identifies and reports unauthorized personnel
Answers telephones in a timely and courteous manner
Receives, records, and communicates messages accurately
Transfers calls and pages staff members appropriately
Responds to patients’ call buttons and pages appropriate staff; follows up on unanswered pages
Enters and edits patient information in the computer system, including height, weight, isolation status, patient type, activity level, and charge entries
Practices in accordance with Physician Order Management policies and procedures
Follows clinical informatics downtime procedures for entering data into patient electronic records
Obtains missing patient data from other units or external facilities as necessary
Maintains the integrity of the medical record
Completes the Medical Record Review Checklist daily and upon discharge
Orders and maintains appropriate unit forms, dietary supplies, educational materials, and office supplies
Maintains cleanliness and organization of the unit desk area
Follows up on purchase requisitions
Anticipates storeroom supply needs prior to evening and night shifts
Ensures dietary orders are current daily between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.
Manages automatically prepared reports, including but not limited to GENESIS, glucometer, and rounds reports
Collaborates with nursing staff and case managers to enter discharge dispositions and destinations into the computer system
Faxes required documentation to outside agencies
Prepares discharge paperwork for patients transitioning to rehabilitation centers or nursing homes
Assists the Nurse Manager with monitoring staff education records and compliance with mandatory training, certifications, and annual health screenings (e.g., PPD, fit testing)
Completes weekly staffing projections for the unit
Prepares unit secretary schedules to ensure appropriate coverage, as assigned
Participates in unit staff meetings and records meeting minutes
Maintains posted unit communications and distributes memoranda to staff
Updates policy manuals as required
Supports unit goals related to hospital and unit quality indicators
Assists with distribution, collection, and compliance of quality audits and indicator data collection processes
Conducts monthly Environment of Care Rounds, documents findings, and coordinates resolution through work orders, calls, or faxes to appropriate departments
Resolves unit-level issues when possible
Accurately enters patient charges to support appropriate unit revenue
Reviews and reconciles charges daily and reports discrepancies to the Nurse Manager
Performs general clerical duties including filing, copying, faxing, and other administrative support as assigned