Unit Secretary

Summary

Under the general supervision of the Nurse Manager, performs a variety of clerical and administrative support duties. Coordinates and documents the flow of patient activity and information from admission into the unit through discharge or transfer from the unit.

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization's values of:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Excellence

These values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers, and one another.

In addition to our values, all employees are expected to demonstrate the core Success Factors that define how we work together and achieve results:

• Instill Trust and Value Differences
• Patient and Community Focus and Collaborate

Responsibilities

Communication and Customer Service

• Communicates clearly, concisely, and expeditiously with unit staff, hospital personnel, physicians, patients, and visitors.
• Greets patients and visitors in a professional, courteous, and helpful manner.
• Recognizes consumer dissatisfaction and intervenes to correct concerns or refers issues to the appropriate person.
• Identifies and reports unauthorized personnel.
• Answers telephones in a timely and courteous manner.
• Receives, records, and communicates messages accurately.
• Transfers telephone calls and pages staff accurately.
• Answers patient call buttons and pages the appropriate staff member to respond.
• Performs follow-up pages when initial pages are unanswered.

Patient Information and Medical Records

• Enters and edits patient information into the computer system, including:
  • Height and weight
  • Isolation status
  • Patient type
  • Patient activity
  • Charge entries
• Practices in accordance with all Physician Order Management policies and procedures.
• Follows all clinical informatics downtime procedures for entering data into patients’ electronic profiles.
• Obtains missing patient data from other units or outside facilities as needed.
• Maintains the integrity of the medical record.
• Completes the Medical Record Review Checklist daily and upon discharge.

Unit Operations and Supplies

• Orders and maintains appropriate:
  • Forms
  • Dietary supplies
  • Educational materials
  • Office supplies
• Maintains order and cleanliness at the desk area.
• Follows up on the status of purchase requisitions.
• Anticipates storeroom supply needs before evening and night shifts.
• Ensures dietary orders are current each morning between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.
• Provides management of automatically prepared reports, including but not limited to:
  • GENESIS reports
  • Glumeter reports
  • Rounds reports

Discharge Coordination

• Works with nursing staff and case managers to:
  • Enter discharge dispositions and destinations into the computer system
  • Fax required documentation to external agencies
  • Prepare necessary paperwork for patients discharged to rehabilitation centers or nursing homes

Administrative Support

• Assists the Nurse Manager in monitoring:
  • Staff educational records
  • Compliance with mandatory tests, training, certifications, and annual health screenings (e.g., PPD and fit testing)
• Completes weekly staff projections for the nursing unit.
• Completes unit secretary schedules, ensuring even distribution of secretarial resources, as assigned.
• Participates in unit staff meetings and records meeting minutes.
• Assists with maintaining posted communications on the unit and preparing memorandums for staff.
• Updates policy manuals as required.

Quality and Regulatory Support

• Provides support to the unit in achieving hospital and unit quality indicators.
• Assists with distribution and collection of quality audits.
• Complies with unit processes for indicator data collection.
• Conducts monthly Environment of Care Rounds.
• Reports findings and follows through with work orders, phone calls, and faxes to appropriate departments for issue resolution.
• Resolves issues that can be addressed at the unit level.

Financial and Clerical Duties

• Appropriately enters patient charges to generate revenue for the unit.
• Reviews and reconciles charges daily and reports variances to the manager.
• Performs general:
  • Filing
  • Copying
  • Faxing
  • Clerical and administrative support duties as requested

Minimum Qualifications

Basic Knowledge

• Equivalent to a high school diploma.
• Proficient computer skills with the ability to:
  • Enter and maintain patient data
  • Print required reports
• Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and perform multiple tasks efficiently.
• Ability to speak, read, and write English clearly.

Experience

• Six (6) months of clerical experience in a healthcare environment strongly preferred.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Sits, stands, and walks intermittently throughout the day.
• Exposed to a patient care environment.
• May be required to lift up to 20 pounds.

Supervisory Responsibility

• None.