Unit Secretary-Urology & Vascular Surgery 12W Full-time Evenings

About the role

The Unit Secretary plays a crucial role in the patient care units of Northwestern Medicine, reflecting the organization's mission, vision, and values. Reporting to the Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, the Unit Secretary ensures smooth operations and excellent patient care.

Responsibilities

• Extends courtesies to patients, staff, and visitors in a prompt and responsive manner in all communications.
• Aids in monitoring visitor/employee access, ensuring badges are present in all patient care areas, and alerts security as necessary.
• Facilitates communication and escalates difficult situations involving patients, staff, and visitors.
• Assists and directs patients, staff, and visitors according to hospital policies.
• Answers the phone promptly and transfers calls according to Northwestern Medicine (NMH) phone standards using AIDET.
• Coordinates calls on multiple lines simultaneously and promptly and accurately answers and responds to all patient calls within identified timeframe via the nurse call system using AIDET.
• Recognizes patient care requests requiring urgent attention and escalates to appropriate staff.
• Safeguards communication needs of patients with special requirements and ensures calls are handled appropriately.
• Prepares medical records on admission, discharge, and transfer, assisting the care team in obtaining and releasing medical records.
• Maintains paper record and remains informed of the location of forms, scans appropriate forms into the electronic medical record (EMR), and notifies appropriate team members when additional documents are added to the paper chart.
• Ensures nurse coverage is appropriately identified in EMR and facilitates unit readiness for EMR downtime.
• Reports problems with EMR to the IT HELP desk and verifies regulatory documentation at the point of care.
• Performs charge entry accurately.
• Manages patient flow by performing admission, discharge, and transfer activities in a timely manner, notifying appropriate nursing and physician staff.
• Assigns appropriate caregivers in the nurse call system, prepares patient charts for discharge, transfer, or OR use, and requests time for will-call ambulance and Medicare.
• Requests patient escorts when necessary, tracks patient scheduling for tests and procedures, and informs care providers of anticipated times.
• Maintains accurate unit census for accuracy in collaboration with charge nurse and/or Clinical Coordinator.
• Supports patient flow by receiving and distributing patient care unit deliveries to patients and staff, maintaining a clean, uncluttered nursing station, and placing service requests for equipment and repair.
• Maintains and tracks an adequate supply of forms, clerical equipment, and nursing supplies according to patient care unit standards.
• Completes and submits supply requisitions and performs basic computer/printer maintenance.
• Demonstrates ability to use online systems as required and attends appropriate training classes necessary to perform job.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities supporting patient flow as delegated by unit leadership.

Qualifications

• High School or GED.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• Computer experience.
• One year of college or business school preferred.
• Unit secretary experience preferred.
• Medical terminology knowledge preferred.