what do you expect from your unit secretary?

Specialties MICU

Published

Hi everyone!

I am a first year nursing student (I start this fall) who has been offered a job as a unit sec in ICU. What are some of the most helpful things your unit sec. does for you? How about least helpful and most annoying? I have been a lab receptionist and medical clerk but have not worked on a hospital floor and would love some advice. My mom is an RN and gave me some good pointers (be organized, know where everything is, keep a calm, helpful, pleasant attitude and help the floor nurses in any way possible). Thanks for the imput!

Amy

As a Unit Sec. your nurses depend on you for everything. Everything that comes into the Unit goes through you. The Nurse in charge is your best friend. She/He Tells you where and when your patients are coming from or going to. You put charts together, take off orders, basically a go-for extraordinaire. It's a great job, it's a stressful job:banghead:. I'm going into nursing school next year, and am doing this for experience. If you can make it as a U. Sec. I'm sure being a nurse will be easier...hopefully...I work in the CCU at my hospital and it's pretty awesome.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I don't know what we would do without our unit clerks. However, we do have one that because she knows medical terms and the such, she tries to practice nursing also, telling RN's what they should be doing, and actually arguing about when morphine was given to a patient. So, leave nursing to Nurses, and no family phone calls till after 9! I hate when family calls as soon as I walk on the unit, not even assessing the patient first.

Doris

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Specializes in CVICU, CCU, MICU, SICU, Transplant.

Wow, I would kill to have ANYONE be unit secretary at my place on nights.

See...my hospital is full of cheap, unreasonable administrators. No PCT's at all, and only a secretary on day shift. At night, its either the charge nurses's job to do unit secretary stuff, or if he/she is busy, then its everyone for themself.

The nurses are also responsible for stocking the rooms, taking out the dirty linen, etc.

FYI...I work in a busy 18 bed CVICU.

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I have filled in frequently for our unit secretary due to staffing shortages and I was so glad to get back to my nursing position the next day. Not only does our secretary take off orders but she gets our hourly vital signs and urine output, collects specimens, answers call lights and help us turn and clean patients. She has the respect from managers as well as doctors. I challenge every nurse to walk a day in the secretary's shoes and you will be given a new respect for her...she is my right hand.

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Specializes in CVICU.

I am a secretary in an ICU right now (+3 years), and I'm a nursing student, so hopefully I can offer you some advice.

-Put yourself out there. Let the nurses know that you are their girl today, anything they need, you can help with. Sure, you might get stuck helping clean up poop, but eventually they'll trust you and you see some really cool stuff.

-When the unit is going downhill fast, take a deep breath and try to calm down and organize Remember, you run the show.

Be helpful, and communicate with the staff to meet their needs.

Good luck!!! :heartbeat

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Specializes in PACU.

Our best one has another position in our hospital.:( She does our payroll now. Things she did that we miss like crazy that the newer ones are not doing:

-Screen our phone calls. If we are in report, she absolutely would NOT put a family member/friend through to us. She would say "They are in report/assessing/(whatever we were doing), you may call back in after 8" Period. If we were in a pt's room, she would come ask us "So and so is on the phone, would you like me to have them call you back in 30 minutes or can you talk?"

-Was the LEADER in sticking to the visiting hours. No ONE got past her.

We allow pretty open visiting except during report. 6-8 no visiting. She would sweep all the rooms at 6 and make everyone leave. And say "You may come back after 8"

-A good/bad US can make or break your day. I learned very quickly to take care of mine, cause they sure as all hell take care of me.:heartbeat

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I would love to have a secretary on nights. I asked at our UGC meeting if we could have one and was asked "why would you need one?" by the new manager.

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