A unit clerk tells all!

Nurses General Nursing

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I wrote my earlier message in a fit of anger. I really love what I do. I love how busy I am. Sometimes RN's don't realize how important our job is. On the unit I work on, I'm constantly praised by the nurses for all the hard work I do. Juggling between doctors, visitors, phone calls, orders, discharges, admissions... I answer hundreds of phone calls a day. Trying to read doctors handwriting is pretty tough. I'm a nursing student right now, so I understand a lot of the frustrations all the nurses go through every day. Our unit is new as of December. Staffing is still a big issue right now. The suits seem to think 2 nurses for fifteen patients is more than plenty. For the first few months, it was one nurse for 9-10 patients! One nurse, one patient care tech, and one unit clerk. No where near enough staff! I'm still the only unit clerk for the whole floor-my usual hours are 9-5:30-(I know-banker's hours!) but I'm working overtime constantly because the suits don't want to have to hire more staff. Even the nurse manager that helped open the unit finally resigned! :o

mattsmom81...

**"Secretaries and CNA's...we lLUV ya, and we're so glad you're here, but PLEASE remember: a nurse can do your job but you can't do OURS"**

In all fairness, I will agree with you until you get to this portion. No, clerks cannot do a nurses job but a nurse cannot perform a clerks job either.

I work in a 400 bed institution where, if a floor/unit is without a clerk they would come apart. A nurse can set in the clerks chair an attempt to do the unit clerks work but never have I seen them be able to replace one...it just won't happen.

They may even be able to get enough done to get by...but to do their work...uh-uh:nono:

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At my hospital, we do not have a clerk all the time and we are expected to perform her duties in her absence and I noted we've started competencies for such. So yes, I can competently perform my role(s) as an RN, a nursing assistant, the clerk, the dietary aide, and housekeeping. I'm sure others here do so as well because of staffing issues and budgetary restraints imposed by management. MMB

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Originally posted by MissyD

mattsmom81...

**"Secretaries and CNA's...we lLUV ya, and we're so glad you're here, but PLEASE remember: a nurse can do your job but you can't do OURS"**

In all fairness, I will agree with you until you get to this portion. No, clerks cannot do a nurses job but a nurse cannot perform a clerks job either.

I work in a 400 bed institution where, if a floor/unit is without a clerk they would come apart. A nurse can set in the clerks chair an attempt to do the unit clerks work but never have I seen them be able to replace one...it just won't happen.

They may even be able to get enough done to get by...but to do their work...uh-uh:nono:

Sorry, but I can easily do a secretary's job...in fact on my unit we frequently do not have one. When I'm in charge I run the unit AND do a secretary's job. I TRAIN unit secretaries as do most charge nurses I know..... I have never worked a hospital unit where the nurse was NOT fully capable of doing the desk work work. Perhaps there are some units around where nurses do no secretarial work, but if so I've never seen one.

Secretaries do not have the credentials to do a nurses' job. Period. Not trying to be argumentative just speaking plain truth.

And I greatly appreciate secretarial /clerk help when I have it, which is not often enough. It frees me up for nurse duties, which is what I was hired to do after all. :cool:

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Originally posted by mattsmom81

Sorry, but I can easily do a secretary's job...in fact on my unit we frequently do not have one. When I'm in charge I run the unit AND do a secretary's job. I TRAIN unit secretaries as do most charge nurses I know..... I have never worked a hospital unit where the nurse was NOT fully capable of doing the desk work work. Perhaps there are some units around where nurses do no secretarial work, but if so I've never seen one.

Secretaries do not have the credentials to do a nurses' job. Period. Not trying to be argumentative just speaking plain truth.

And I greatly appreciate secretarial /clerk help when I have it, which is not often enough. It frees me up for nurse duties, which is what I was hired to do after all. :cool:

Well said,

Noney

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**"Secretaries and CNA's...we lLUV ya, and we're so glad you're here, but PLEASE remember: a nurse can do your job but you can't do OURS"**

As a Senior Tech/ Unit Clerk, I have to say that their are many of our nurses that can not do some of our work. Most generally it's that charge nurses that cover this slack, so most of our staff nurses do not know how. It is difficult for Nurses to have to do both, just as it is hard for me to do both Tech and HUC work at the same time, so I understand the cross training is nearly impossible. What they do know comes out of necessity, so it is generally the 'basics' they are doing and not our full job description.

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Ward clerk ? we never have one at night..never have..the day shift has one who seems angry at the world, like someone has pizzed in her Fruit Loops all the time..we end up picking up her slack at night doing various paperwork that was overlooked, stuffing charts with MD order sheets, I/O records,VS sheets, report lists,ect..complain? ha..does no good..just more left undone. This is my situation @ this time...not trying to bad mouth ALL clerks by any means..have had some in the past that were worth their weight in gold..and YES we all told them how much they were appreciated. If the OP feels abused by the staff/expected to perform over her job title I'd suggest getting a job description printed out and meeting with the charge nurses to explain what her roles are/aren't so there is no dispute..I wish you the best with your job and future nursedom ;)

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Specializes in Neuro Critical Care.

The unit I am currently on just hired a secretary/tech for the 11p-7a shift....yeah! It is wonderful having her there to help with pt care and secretary work. Before she came, we were all capable of entering orders, reading doctor's handwriting (which the secretary brings to the RN to decipher many times), filing and stuffing charts. I didn't go to school to do these things but yes I can do them without any trouble as can most nurses on the unit...but we love our night shift sec/tech!!:kiss

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

A Unit Secretary's job is a tough stressful and demanding job.

Thanks so much for the hard work you do!

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