Job summary
In accordance with the Vision, Purpose, and Values, and strategic direction of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health, VIHA), patient & staff safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at VIHA; as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
Reporting to the Manager or designate and under general supervision, positions at this level perform a variety of clerical duties related to the operation of a patient care area. This includes duties such as acting as a communication link for the Unit by transcribing and processing physicians orders, communicating with other departments and hospitals, coordinating patient appointments, arranging patient tests and receiving results, receiving and directing visitors and telephone answering. Assembles and maintains patient charts and performs keyboarding and data entry responsibilities.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- 1 Prioritizes, processes, coordinates and transcribes physicians orders and performs necessary follow up action.
- Acts as a communication link for the Unit by contacting other hospitals and departments, including collaborating with bed booking by exchanging information related to bed availability to assist in admissions, discharges and transfers. Answers telephones; transfers calls, takes messages or answers routine inquiries. Phones other department to receive and copy down patient test results. Receives visitors, provides information and directs to appropriate area.
- Schedules, books and coordinates patient appointments by receiving appointment requests, making follow up appointments, adjusting arrangements as directed in accordance with patient and facility requirements and assigning to the appropriate time, date and location. Arranges patient tests. Maintains appointment diaries by arranging and confirming appointments.
- Assembles and maintains patient charts, inputs patient data and transcribes information into relevant systems such as MARS, charts or electronic health record systems. Attaches documents to charts such as laboratory and special examination reports and dismantles charts for Health Records upon patient discharge.
- Performs related clerical duties such as keyboarding, data entry, filing, compiling, preparing and maintaining statistics such as the daily census, producing reports, delivering and picking up items, ordering supplies through stores and takes meeting minutes as necessary.
- Maintains timekeeping records for regular and relief staff and submits/enters to payroll systems as required. Receives and processes requests such as vacation, leave of absence and terminations by preparing necessary documentation and forwarding to appropriate authority for approval.
- Accepts calls from nursing staff regarding illnesses and absence from work and communicates information received to nursing units and appropriate personnel; calls in relief nursing staff according to predetermined guidelines and refers problems to supervisor.
- Maintains records on relief staff such as: names, addresses, telephone numbers, availability for work suitability for work area and hours worked.
- Under direction of the Manager or designate arranges for patient transportation, and makes inpatient or outpatient appointments.
- Observes patient call signals and relays messages to the appropriate personnel as necessary.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Education, training and experience
Grade 12, medical terminology and graduation from a recognized Nursing Unit Clerk program plus one year's recent related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Skills And Abilities
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. Ability to deal with others effectively.
- Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.
- Ability to keyboard at 50 wpm
- Ability to organize work.
- Ability to operate related equipment.
- Ability to utilize a variety of computer software applications.