Unit Clerk

Post Date: 097/27/2024
Reports To: Director and Assistant Director of Nursing

Position type: Full or Part Time

Working under the supervision of the Director and Assistant Director of Nursing, the Unit Clerk assists the nursing personnel in providing indirect patient care within the facility and performs other related duties as directed.

General Responsibilities:
1. Reflects the hospital’s philosophy of excellence and professionalism while directly performing the job and at all times when representing the department or hospital.
2. Adheres to all applicable aspects of the hospital’s various policy and procedure manuals.
3. Accepts responsibility for his/her actions.
4. Is internally inspired to perform to the best of one’s ability using his/her own drive or initiative.
5. Develops and maintains communication and social skills. Observes courtesy standards through use of verbal amenities, pleasant facial and body expressions and pleasant voice tone when in contact with co-workers, physicians, patients and visitors.
6. Communicates appropriately and clearly to physicians, staff and administrative team.
7. Promotes a positive attitude for good interpersonal and interdepartmental relationships. Shows consideration for and maintains good relations with others and is sensitive to the feelings of others.
8. Works effectively with people regardless of their age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or job type.
9. Interacts effectively with supervisors and peers in building a cohesive work group. Develops and maintains sound working relationships with others at various levels of the organization.
10. Skill in conflict resolution is demonstrated.
11. Maintains composure when confronted with job stress or emergency situations.
12. Adapts well to change in the work place.
13. Selects and prioritizes suitable alternative courses of action when confronted by an obstacle.
14. Consistent and concise lines of authority and responsibility are maintained.
15. Maintains confidentiality of patients, staff and department information at all times.
16. Takes care of the patient’s and family’s needs while following hospital procedures. Interacts professionally and empathetically with them.
17. Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health errors.
18. Ensures that patient’s rights to fair and equitable treatment, self determination, individuality, privacy, property and civil rights, including the right to wage a complaint are well established and maintained at all times.
19. Keeps abreast of the economic condition/situation and makes adjustments as directed/necessary to assure the continued ability to provide quality patient care.
20. Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic and religious/spiritual need of patients and their families.
21. Adheres to safety guidelines and reports hazards or accidents/illnesses immediately to supervisor.
22. Minimizes waste of supplies, misuse of equipment and reports any knowledge thereof to supervisor.
23. Participates effectively in the orientation of new staff.
24. Cross trains for other positions as directed by supervisor or administrator.
25. Functions in an organized manner and plans work assignments to effectively use time.
26. Attends all mandatory training and educational programs to maintain necessary competency including but not limited to licensure and/or certification.
27. Keeps unscheduled absences (sick leave and emergencies) to a minimum and always verifies need.
28. Is willing to work beyond normal schedule when necessary.
29. Maintains an overall neat and clean appearance. Selects conservative dress styles reflective of the job while adhering to the dress guidelines established by the department.
30. Responds objectively and positively to changes occurring in the hospital and health care.
31. Performs other related duties and responsibilities as necessary or as directed by the supervisor or Hospital Administrator.

Specific Responsibilities:
1. Prepares medical records on discharged and new admissions. Maintains medical records
throughout the patients hospital stay.
2. Appropriately admits and discharges patients on computer system.
3. Appropriately updates patient information on computer system.
4. Transcribes physician’s orders on to Kardex and Medication Administration Record and
notifies licensed nursing staff appropriately of new, changed, or discontinued orders.
5. Reviews Kardex and Medication Administration Record for completeness of information
and accuracy in the transcription of physician orders.
6. Requests and arranges for diagnostic and therapeutic services, as ordered by the physician,
either within the facility or by outside arrangements, in accordance with established policies
and procedures.
7. Obtains insurance information and makes certain that all admission paperwork is signed.
8. Makes patient identification stickers and keeps them up-dated
9. Keeps charts for emergency room and inpatients made up and ready at all times.
10. Prepares Nurses notes and Kardex for use of physician each morning.
11. Appropriately notifies Dietary, Medical Records, and necessary departments of patient
dismissal.
12. Appropriately forwards patient’s records to medical records upon dismissal.
13. Keeps patient’s charts supplied with physician orders sheets, progress notes, and patient ID stickers at all times.
14. Appropriately does financial counseling for all emergency room and inpatients when
business office personnel is not available.
15. Answers patient call lights and notifies appropriate nursing staff.
16. Answers telephone and forwards calls to appropriate patient or staff member.
17. Forwards new and/or changes in diet orders to Dietary.
18. Assist nursing staff in contacting on-call Laboratory or Radiology staff as needed.
19. Assist nursing and medical staff in arranging for patient transfers by completing paperwork
and making appropriate phone calls.
20. Assist in directing visitors to patient rooms or office areas as necessary.
21. Retrieves all lab or radiology results and places in patient chart. Appropriately notifies
charge nurse of results.

Qualifications:
1. Current certification required as applicable. College or trade school degree in field or related. Or, equivalent in experience preferred. High school or GED preferred.
2. One or more years experience in related field preferred.
3. Must possess typing skills and general computer experience.
4. Must have mathematical ability and be able to think and reason logically.
5. Must be able to read, write and speak the English language in an understandable manner. Bi-lingual preferred.

Physical Requirements:
1. Must be in good general health and demonstrate emotional stability.
2. Must possess sight/hearing/touch senses or the use of prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of the position can be met.
3. Must be able to move intermittently throughout the work day.
4. Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
5. May be constantly required to push/pull, lift light objects less than 50 pounds.

Working Conditions:
1. Works in well lighted/ventilated areas.
2. May sit or stand for long periods.
3. Must be able to stoop, bend, lift and move intermittently during work hours.
4. Subject to frequent interruptions.
5. May be subjected to infectious diseases, substances, contaminated articles, etc.