Unit Coordinator, MICU A, 24 Hours (Evenings / Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)

Responsible for the overall clerical functions of the nursing station/front desk. Working collaboratively with the clinical team, the Unit Coordinator participates in delivery of patient care by providing a variety of clerical, customer relations, and support services to patients, their families/visitors, and healthcare team members.

Location: MICU A
Schedule: 24 Hours (Evenings / Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)

Responsibilities

• Performs a variety of direct service activities to ensure that patients and their families/visitors receive timely information and appropriate responses to their needs.
• Greets and directs patients, families, visitors, and staff in a friendly, courteous, and positive customer service manner. Identifies self and provides informative, non-clinical information when requested.
• Coordinates activities of front desk/office support services and performs clerical duties for the department.
• Answers/responds to telephone calls and inquiries in a timely manner; handles inquiries and refers calls to appropriate personnel.
• Checks and replies to BMC e-mail and voice messages frequently during shift.
• For Respiratory Therapy Dept.: logs in/out of the pulmonary function test (PFT) extension at the start/end of shifts, breaks, and lunch.
• Uses manual/computer programs/terminals for access and data entry of patient information, verifies and updates as necessary, prints reports, faxes, orders items, schedules appointments, and verifies information.
• Answers patient call lights in a timely manner and responds to patient requests within the scope of the role; seeks assistance from the clinical team as appropriate.
• Maintains communication data, including computer, charge/white boards, daily communication sheets, assignment sheets, updates room name tags, and precaution labels.
• Participates in orienting patients to their room, call light, telephones, and the unit by distributing welcome letters and informational packets.
• Initiates daily RN phone assignment, logs RN daily phone numbers, and demonstrates appropriate procedures to triage calls through the patient call system.
• Secures patients’ personal property and belongings according to hospital procedures, e.g., labeling patient belongings, sending valuables to the safe, and ensuring a belongings list for every patient.
• Monitors healthcare computer software systems (e.g., SCM, SDK, GE) and Bed Board for new discharge orders, prints discharge summaries, places them in charts, makes clinic appointments for patients prior to discharge, and documents as required.
• Handles and distributes mail, flowers, gifts, etc.
• Facilitates patient/family/visitor access to available hospital services such as the cafeteria, chapel, gift shop, parking, and cashier.
• Identifies emergency situations and initiates appropriate response actions within the scope of the role; is familiar with the area disaster plan and unit.
• Coordinates and makes appointments for transportation for patients and related materials (e.g., VA, chair car, patient transport, medical records, specimens, blood products, requisitions) in a timely manner.
• Works collaboratively with other units, services, and departments to ensure patients, families, visitors, and staff receive needed services, information, and materials.
• Performs a variety of office and clerical functions, such as photocopying, sending and receiving fax transmissions, and responding appropriately to issues.
• Coordinates unit communications, including placing alpha-numeric text pages to physicians or appropriate staff, calling family members/next of kin, etc.
• May assist in patient admission, discharge, and transfer processes by obtaining and managing insurance pre-approvals, verifying demographic information, completing free-care applications, and creating medical records.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and up-to-date patient care records as defined by hospital policy.
• Prepares charts and labels on admission with appropriate documentation sheets and places clinical pathways in bedside charts as ordered.
• Maintains complete and accurate medical records through timely filing of results and treatment documents, periodic chart thinning, and replenishing of chart forms.
• Labels precaution charts with appropriate precaution labels and maintains a supply of precaution signs for patient rooms.
• Accesses, retrieves, and enters computerized and non-computerized data, e.g., retrieving lab and test results, and communicates findings to clinical team members as appropriate.
• Maintains statistics for the PFT Lab and Bronchoscopy areas (applies to Respiratory Therapy Clinic only).
• Schedules and books patient appointments using manual/computer programs/terminals (e.g., SCM, IDX, GE) for access and data entry of appointment information; follows approved scheduling/appointment policy.
• Checks charts for completeness, ensures appropriate pathway sheets are in place, and obtains discharge summaries with barcode labeling prior to forwarding materials to the medical record room.
• Recopies and replenishes chart forms (e.g., medication records, activity sheets) prior to expiration, ensuring each form is labeled with the correct patient’s name and medical record number.
• Transcribes patient care orders accurately and in a timely manner.
• Collaborates with the healthcare team to obtain necessary information for test/procedure scheduling, including pre-test/procedure preparation and coordinating patient schedules to minimize travel and time off the unit.
• Communicates test/procedure/therapy schedules and relevant changes to patients, families, primary care providers, consultants, and staff.
• Maintains appropriate manual/computer logs, records, and unit databases (e.g., diet list, census sheets, supply log, patient board) to include updated physician coverage, current pager number, and RN name at all times.
• Ensures the unit has a current Downtime Materials Box and maintains/replenishes it with appropriate order sheets, Doctor’s Orders, Progress Notes, lab forms, etc.
• Performs a variety of activities to ensure a clean, safe, and stocked unit environment for patients, visitors, and staff.
• Conducts daily rounds to ensure a safe and clean environment and contacts appropriate departments/staff to address safety/cleanliness issues.
• Initiates work/repair orders using computer software/terminals for access and data entry; logs issues with the ITS rounder or help desk.
• Arranges for delivery of expired/broken equipment/materials to the appropriate repair site and tracks/returns borrowed/rented equipment.
• Logs/completes daily patient charges/billing, inclusive of appropriate billing codes, either manually or via automated systems according to department/hospital standards.
• Checks inventories, orders, maintains, and restocks supplies to par level using online ordering systems (e.g., Lawson, RSS, Staples, RR Donnelly).
• Participates in searches for missing patients, belongings, and/or equipment.
• Maintains and troubleshoots basic office equipment, including daily reboot of computers, loading printers/photocopiers with paper, and addressing issues with point-of-service monitors, printers, fax machines, etc.
• Acts in a manner that supports a positive and collaborative work environment and conforms to hospital universal standards of performance and conduct.
• Works cooperatively and constructively with all staff members and resolves interpersonal conflicts with assistance from supervisors when needed.
• Seeks out and acts upon constructive feedback regarding daily performance and works toward achieving goals identified during performance evaluations.
• Participates in staff meetings, departmental/unit initiatives, quality improvement projects, and committee meetings as assigned.
• Complies with established practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols, guidelines, and regulations (e.g., DPH, Joint Commission, Fire Codes, OSHA).
• Follows established Conduct and Attendance, Safety, and Infectious Control policies/standards; remains consistently available on the unit.
• Participates in ongoing educational activities to maintain competency and update requisite skills; maintains an accurate annual educational record.
• Completes annual mandatory educational requirements (e.g., safety regulation and infection control review, departmental and unit-specific competencies).
• Maintains a presentable appearance in accordance with the dress code; wears assigned uniform and visible Hospital ID badge while on duty.
• Assists in the orientation of new staff and serves as a resource to float staff on the unit.
• Adapts to changing patient and unit needs, including offering assistance to other team members, floating, adjusting assignments, and running unit/patient errands when requested.
• Collaborates with the charge nurse/supervisor to coordinate break periods with unit activities.
• Remains knowledgeable of and demonstrates reliability in regard to established work rules and policies (e.g., hours of work, attendance, punctuality, uniforms).
• Utilizes the hospital’s cultural beliefs as the basis for decision-making and to support the hospital’s mission and goals.
• Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.
• Performs other duties as needed.

Requirements

• High school education or GED.