Unit Secretary Emergency Department - Hospital of the University of Penn Cedar PT Nights

Unit Secretary Opportunity at Penn Medicine

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical, and business professionals across all disciplines. Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work? The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Cedar is looking for a unit secretary to join our team! As part of the region's #1 health system, HUP Cedar Avenue campus is evolving, growing, and changing, while keeping our uniquely compassionate care intact, right here with patients in their own neighborhood. Our Emergency Department provides care to about 42,000 patients annually, with varying levels of urgent medical care and consists of 32 treatment rooms. Multiple daily shift assignment options include working in our triage space, resuscitation rooms, and fast track assignments with expedited patient throughput. Additional educational opportunities including specialty orientations for triage, charge, preceptor, and clinical emergency roles. The Emergency Department is supported by a Nurse Manager, Assistant Nurse Manager, and Clinical Practice Lead. Our Charge Nurses are on staff 24 / 7 and are representative of leadership in our absence. The Department offers a fast-paced environment, requiring the ability to re-prioritize throughout the day. Come join a motivated and innovative team, a supportive culture, in a leading and growing organization!

Summary : The Unit Secretary is an integral member of the health care team who delivers quality care through collaboration and communication with team members. They work under the direct supervision of the nurse manager and the registered nurse to support the clerical operations of the patient care unit. Some of the major responsibilities will include managing clerical and information systems, receptionist duties, collection and reporting of patient information while also assuming responsibility and accountability for their role performance based on HUPs Standards of Excellence.

Responsibilities

Essential Accountabilities :

• Answers telephones, takes and relays messages promptly, and answers inquiries
• Greets patients and visitors, gives directions, and answers questions in a professional manner
• Communicates with nursing staff and hospital staff about patients' needs and location
• Ensures that patient consents and Advance Directive paperwork is in order and proper follow up is completed
• Answers the patient call bell system and promptly communicates the patients' needs to the appropriate healthcare team member
• Facilitates and manages access for security door / intercom systems on locked nursing units as indicated in a respectful manner per unit protocol
• Assists nurses, physicians, and other health care providers in emergency situations by arranging for emergency studies, placing routine, CODE and STAT telephone pages
• Arranges for patient transport as needed
• Sorts and delivers patient flowers, mail, and packages according to unit needs
• Calls for equipment and supplies as needed and arranges for return of equipment after use, including malfunctioning equipment
• Enters discharge information and appropriate admission and discharge destination in the hospital electronic information system as soon as the patient either arrives on the unit or leaves the unit
• Maintains patient medical record per unit protocols
• Prepares necessary patient chart copies for discharge to new level of careRehabilitation, Psychiatry, and / or Hospice
• Prepares patient chart for all transitions in care : for tests, new patient care units, etc.
• Accountable for placing completed discharge charts in designated location for pickup by Medical Records personnel
• Maintains and updates patient identification bracelets as needed and ensures patient identification bar code stickers are accurate
• Keeps requisition locations filled and ensures sufficient supplies are available at the nurses' station
• Monitors stationery and paper products levels
• Initiates order for supplies as directed by the Nurse Manager
• Maintains locations of forms in compliance with established guidelines
• Maintains work area and mobile workstations in orderly fashion
• Accepts reassignment to other units as directed by Nurse Manager or Charge Nurse
• Sensitive and responsive to patient, family, and customer satisfaction issues by demonstrating courtesy and respect for patients, family visitors, hospital staff, and employees
• Supports and contributes to the unit's patient satisfaction goals
• Provides direction to the medical teams for completing the electronic death certificate
• Secures the certificate according to guidelines
• Supports the process of notification to Gift of Life

Age Specific Accountabilities

Identify the competencies required for each patient population that the employee works with (neonate, child, adolescent, young adult, middle adult, and older adult).

Patient Care Accountabilities

Participates in Entity and Department wide initiatives for Patient / Employee safety

Demonstrates an awareness of patient / employee safety when carrying out daily responsibilities of their position

Validation of annual competencies required for