New Unit Secretary Here! How can I help all the nurses and do the best job possible?

Hi Everyone

I am a pre nursing student who was just hired as a unit secretary in the Maternity Floor!

I'm soo excited I could just scream!

I've been an medical office manager but never worked in a hospital before.

I would love input on how to be the best unit secretary I can be!

I'm soo nervous too!

What would make a terrific unit secretary......

and What would make a bad one?

Thanks for the replies :)

Tammy

[RN~in~CT]

I just wanted to congratulate you on the new job!!

:balloons:

[plumrn, BSN, RN]

Congratulations Tsangia! All that enthusiasm! You will make a wonderful nurse. A good unit secretary really helps keep the unit running smoothly. On med/surg they make all the difference. Our secretary transcribes orders, answers phones, and keeps track of all of us. She is worth her weight in gold! Just keep up the enthusiasm. Anyone willing to work like you seem to, won't have any trouble learning what helps the unit run. No worries!

[2banurse]

Hey Tammy,

This is a coincidence. I applied for a position as a unit assistant (unit secretary) on the OB floor of one of the hospitals by me. Yesterday, I received a call from the Director of OB asking if I would want to job shadow the unit assistant for a few hours. I guess they were impressed with my resume to date. I spoke with the unit assistant to set up a time and she was so enthusiastic about this department, and I just can't wait until Saturday. Hopefully things will work out and I may be employed by next week. I, too, am a prenursing student.

So quoting Tammy "How can I help all the nurses and do the best possible job?"

Enjoy your new position Tammy!

Kris

[sjoe]

1) Learn your job COLD. Be as efficient as you possibly can in performing it. Be flexible when meeting docs' and nurses' needs and wishes. Be willing to go the extra mile, and DON'T expect praise for this. Smile, be friendly. Be willing to set limits when necessary as well, in service to your patients, nurses, and docs.

2) A lot of your job will be to create and maintain good working relationships (i.e. politics) with many different departments in the hospital. The better you are at "greasing these wheels," the better for everyone--particularly when "exceptions" occur, as they frequently will.

[MandyInMS]

Congrats ya'll :)

Just be willing to work..lol..may sound simple, but believe me that makes a difference.It'll take you a little while to get the routines,paperwork,ect. No one will expect you to know it all at first.A good ward clerk is worth his/her weight in gold.Takes a lot of pressure off the nursing staff...we have no ward clerk anymore so I KNOW...lol..best of luck (((hugzzz)))

[Brownms46]

Congrats to you both:D!!! Just keep the enthusiasm, and I can't you won't be that gold everyone is talking about! I appreciate and I'm grateful everytime I go somewhere and there is a unit secretary! You guys are the bomb:D!

[newgradERrn]

THanks everyone for all the comments, I will remember what you said.

I'm very excited I start hospital orientation next week and the unit secretary school for a week.

I'll let you know how I do.

Thanks!

Tammy :)

[indie]

With that awesome, research-the-field attitude I don't think you can fail! Congratulations.