POSITION DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE & CODE:	Unit Secretary (100488)
DEPARTMENT:	Nursing
REPORTS TO:	Manager/Director
FLSA STATUS:	Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY:   Performs a wide range of clerical, receptionist, dispatching and admitting/discharge duties in support of assigned patient care department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:
1.	High School Diploma or equivalent.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE:
1.	Graduate of a Medical Assistant program or secretarial school preferred.

CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position.  They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties.  Other duties may be assigned.
1.	Responsible for greeting and admitting functions upon patients’ arrival to the department.
2.	Courteously greets patients.
3.	Completes admitting information in computer.
4.	Locates and assigns beds.
5.	Notifies referring physician of admission, as requested.
6.	Responsible for proper and expedient communication of transfer information when patient moved from one location in the hospital to another.
7.	Completes transfer function in the computer when transferring a patient within the same patient care area.
8.	Notifies the receiving department, obtains bed assignment, dispatches support associate when transferring a patient to a different patient care area.
9.	Responsible for clerical discharge functions.
10.	Disassembles patient record once discharge order received.
11.	Schedules all follow-up appointments.
12.	Arranges transportation for patient as necessary.
13.	Completes discharge functions in the computer.
14.	Communicates in a timely fashion with other departments regarding patients who have been admitted, discharged, require inter-hospital transfer, or have expired. Communicate patient information and unit needs intra-departmentally.
15.	Consistently maintains complete and accurate telephone or visitor messages for department personnel, assuring accurate routing of messages.
16.	Assists physicians and other individuals by providing requested information about specific patient or department routines in accordance with the hospital’s policy on Release of Patient Information.
17.	Enters any written physician orders in an accurate, consistent and timely manner.
18.	Generates Medical Admission Records upon entering of admission orders and distributes documents to appropriate individuals.
19.	Completes laboratory requisitions and other forms accurately and according to department procedure.
20.	Phones in consults to other services in a timely and accurate manner.
21.	Maintains communication with other patient care departments (e.g., Dietary, Physical Therapy) to assure patient care needs are met.
22.	Coordinates and facilitates ongoing communication to ensure timely, efficient intradepartmental and interdepartmental transportation of patients.
23.	Organizes and maintains patient records and appropriate department records to help ensure accurate and complete documentation.
24.	Accurately prepares patient identification bands and name tags.
25.	Accurately assembles, maintains, and breaks down patient charts, reviews all printed orders as they come off the printer for stats, lab and diagnostic tests and advise RN of stat orders according to departmental procedure.
26.	Accurately records lab results reported by telephone.
27.	Immediately alerts RN when advised by lab of abnormal results.
28.	Maintains stock levels of office supplies.
29.	Complies accurate statistical or unit activity data for department, as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Date Reviewed/Revised:  May 2019