Anyone work as a Unit Secretary?

PurifyMe · Dec 3, 2006

I work as a unit secretary (clerical coordinator) on the telemetry floor at a hospital in Edgewood, KY. For the most part, it's fun, it has it's up and down though, At times really, really fast paced, other times, mostly on the weekends and in the evening so slow you want to cry. It just depends on the patient flow. I've had it both ways. This is how it goes.....

Docs/NP's/PA's/Pharmacist/Dietician etc..write orders, you take the orders off, charge checks the orders, orders are completed.

For the most part your job is to take orders off charts and enter them into whatever computer system the hospital uses and the MAR, order all stats (labs, xrays, blood draws) call docs, answer phones, call codes, answer call lights and relay the message to the nurses or aides, in my case I am an aide also, so if it was something that I could do quickly ( get water, ice, help to the pot) for the patient I just do it.

You will send labs, monitor the patient transport log, check diets, arrange discharges, transfers, tests at other locations. You name it, you do it. Without a good CC, the floor is in complete havok. You are the only person on the unit that if you aren't there, no one else can do your job as well. The nurses can try, but they have so many other things to do, they can't give all there time to the nurse station. It's intense. In my experience, all the docs (especially cardiology docs) are not always nice to you, neither are alot of nurses, but if you stand up for yourself, you should be fine. If you are a CNA also, you could probably pick up extra shifts as an aide like I do, the money is good! I hope this helps, good luck Monday!

lpngrad05 · Dec 9, 2006

I worked as a unit secrestary for 5 yrs in a critical care unit while going to school. It was one of the best jobs I could have had while going to nursing

school. The unit secretary really takes care of the unit and without a good us, your day/night could be horrible. Sometimes I miss that job so much! Good Luck!