Unit Secretary

Kaiser Permanente - Riverside, CA

Full-time - Entry Level

Riverside, CA

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The Unit Secretary plays a crucial role in supporting and coordinating the administrative activities of the nursing unit under direct supervision. This position is essential for ensuring that the unit operates smoothly and efficiently, providing high-quality service to both internal and external customers, including physicians and staff. The Unit Secretary may be assigned to cover multiple units as per the Medical Center protocol, which requires flexibility and adaptability in various situations. In this role, the Unit Secretary is responsible for a variety of tasks that include processing admissions, transfers, and discharges using the Admit-Discharge-Transfer (ADT) system within the electronic medical record. This involves managing event details and ensuring that all necessary documentation is completed accurately. The Unit Secretary also serves as the first point of contact for patients and their families, greeting them upon arrival and assisting with any inquiries they may have. Additionally, the Unit Secretary is tasked with maintaining the unit's business equipment, ordering supplies, and ensuring that the unit is well-stocked and organized. They play a vital role in coordinating discharge processes, including preparing discharge packets, contacting family members, and facilitating timely discharges when patients are ready to leave. The position requires strong communication skills, as the Unit Secretary must effectively relay information between various departments and assist with patient follow-up appointments. Overall, the Unit Secretary is integral to the nursing unit's operations, ensuring that all administrative tasks are handled efficiently while promoting a culture of service excellence and patient-centered care.

Responsibilities

• Promotes, ensures and improves customer service to external/internal customers by demonstrating skills consistent with the organization's philosophy.
• Processes, transfers and discharges using the Admit-Discharge-Transfer (ADT) system in the electronic medical record.
• Answers and appropriately routes internal and external telephone calls.
• Orders materials and supplies and collects equipment as needed for the Unit.
• Answers call systems; follows up with the nurse, patient and/or family as appropriate.
• Makes follow-up appointments for patients as necessary.
• Organizes transfers to other nursing facilities in conjunction with the Discharge Coordinator.
• Prepares discharge packets and other documents for patients.
• Coordinates discharge times and contacts family members with pending discharge times.
• Maintains/tracks the Unit's business equipment and arranges for maintenance or repair as needed.
• Updates the Unit's census board.
• Maintains the Minimum Medical Record.
• Assists Unit personnel in the electronic medical record and other systems; may act as the Unit resource for computer-related issues.
• Acts as the greeter for the Unit, greeting new patients and their families.
• Initiates Unit downtime procedure when necessary.
• Communicates with other Units/departments.
• May support Environmental Services in data entry into the ADT system on bed status.
• Provides management or hospital bed coordinator with updates on open beds.
• Facilitates co-pay collection by communicating with the Admitting Office when family members are present on the Unit.
• Participates in hourly rounding to promote service excellence.
• May prepare birth certificates and identification bands.
• Floats to other departments as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• One (1) year experience within the last three (3) years as a Unit Secretary or equivalent.
• Working knowledge of PCs and the ability to navigate in a Windows environment utilizing a mouse.
• Ability to learn software applications.
• Basic knowledge of office equipment (fax, copy machine, scanner).
• Ability to speak clearly, read, write and thoroughly understand English.
• Ability to read and comprehend complex instructions, correspondence and medical record documents in English.
• Ability to write correspondence in e-mail.
• Ability to learn policies and procedures.
• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise manner appropriate to the developmental stage of the patient.
• Ability to consistently demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behavior necessary to provide superior and culturally sensitive service.