unit secretary?

NAURN · Mar 10, 2011

Unit secretaries often answer call lights, phones, put in orders (if they are not CPOE), make charts for new pts, etc. They also make phone calls for doctors and nurses, put out pages, etc... but 3-11 there is probably not much of that since its off hours. I think it would be a pretty sweet gig being in nursing school... I would take it!

mfrancisco · Mar 10, 2011

I'm a unit secretary. I am in my second semester of nursing school. I work Saturdays and Sundays for a total of 16 hours a week. It's a great way to get your foot in the door at a hospital, especially if you are interested in possibly working there after graduation. I transcribe orders from the charts, help with admitting and discharges, answer the phone, answer the call light phone from the patient, call/fax x-ray and ultrasound requests, page the nurses when they are needed by patients, docs, pharmacy, the lab, etc. Basically, you are there to assist in making sure the unit runs smoothly. A great unit secretary is really appreciated. You work side by side with the charge nurse. I work in a busy unit, and the day goes by fast. It can get crazy at times, but you really get to hear a lot by being at the front desk. You may not be in patient's rooms like a CNA, but you can hear a lot of conversations going on between the nurses and doctors, the nurses with other nurses, etc. You also get to see a lot in the charts. It really helps to know how a hospital unit runs. I also started noticing that I can identify with a lot of examples that my instructors give in class because I witness it at work. It is hard to work on weekends because it cuts into my study time. However, in this economy, the first people to get jobs out of nursing school are the ones who already work in a hospital. Good luck.

mappers · Mar 10, 2011

Where I worked, unit secretaries took the orders off for the Dr.s. What that means ins the doctors wrote the orders in paper charts and the UCs (stands for unit clerk, but we called them unit secretaries, or UCs....didn't make sense to me either.....) would put the orders in the computer. They also ordered supplies, answered the phones, and other misc clerical type stuff. I think getting to understand orders would be very helpful to a nursing student. Plus just being in the environment is helpful.

And at our hospital, UCs, monitor techs, and aides were often cross trained to do the various jobs. If that happens to you, you will be more employable, have more skills, etc. I say go for it.

Selene006, BSN, LPN · Mar 10, 2011

Working as a unit secretary helped me prepare for nursing school. I transcribed MD orders, put lab orders into the computer, placed calls to the MD's for consults, ordered unit supplies, and put together admission packets for the nurses to fill out. I scheduled special procedures, paged MD's, NP's, and was utilitzed as a witness for patients signing their health care proxies. Transcribing the orders helped me to become familiarized with the patients' meds as well as typical dosages. Also, I was always closeby to listen to nurses give report to each other and sometimes they would educate me about specific disease processes. I had access to the EMR so I learned how to read medical jargon accurately and I became well trained on how to read chicken scratch A.K.A physician orders. The experience made me feel comfortable combing through a chart to find exactly the information that I needed, and though the atmosphere could be hectic at times, I walked away with an understanding of the various dynamics of nursing and was introduced to the other areas of nursing that were not strictly bed-side duties.

meghan91 · Mar 10, 2011

thanks everyone. i hope i get the job i have been wanting a hospital job for a while now and finally found this one that i actually got a call back on and everything. i am a little nervous since i am only 19(going to be 20 in a few months) and i dont have a lot of medical experience just taking care of sick family members when they were in their last stages of life. i just dont want to mess up anything if i get the job and im worried i will =/ maybe im just nervous to start something new that i have never done before. you all gave me good advice and a look into what a US does

3dayRN · Mar 10, 2011

This would be a great experience for nursing school. You will get used to reading dr. orders, entering orders, medical terminology. Good luck. Don't worry about being too young, just ask questions and learn as much as you can.

kessadawn, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2011

They also make phone calls for doctors and nurses, put out pages, etc... but 3-11 there is probably not much of that since its off hours. I think it would be a pretty sweet gig being in nursing school... I would take it!

Are you serious?

Have you ever worked 3-11?

WITHOUT a secretary?

meghan91 · Mar 10, 2011

Do you guys happen to know what i should expect working the 3-11 shift? Is it busy or more work than say working a 7am-3pm shift? I just want to be prepared for when i go for the interview and i also dont wana get in over my head and screw up the whole unit haha i know i could have handled the NA job because i have taken care of patients before but this is something totally new to me working in a hospital setting dealing with duties like this

ojos18 · Mar 10, 2011

I think you should take the job. You will learn a lot as a US; it will make nursing school easier for you.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 10, 2011

I think it is an excellent opportunity to learn protocols, some finer points of charting, pecking order, etc. As for 3-11 not being busy - that will depend on the unit. Some people get admitted directly from MD office and they usually come during that period.

RebeccaV · Mar 10, 2011

I am in the same position actually. I applied for a NA job, and just had an interview 3 days ago, however, when I applied I was told I only needed my CPR certification, which I have but once in the interview I was told I needed a year of clinical rotation behind me as well, and I start clinical in June. Then today I got a call, and she asked if I wanted a secretary position, sat and sun 3-11, Im def. going to take it. Im dying to get any expierence working in the hospital.