UNIT SECRETARY/CNA

The Unit Secretary/CNA (certified nursing assistant) plays a dual role, providing both administrative and clinical support within an acute care setting. This position is critical in ensuring the smooth operation of the unit by efficiently managing communication, patient records, and administrative tasks, while also delivering high-quality patient care. The PCD unit secretary/CNA will assist in the care of all patient populations in the department under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, including sheath removal. The individual in this role is expected to be organized, compassionate, and capable of multitasking in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Duties

 Administrative Duties (Unit Secretary):

• Administrative support: Coordinate patient admissions, transfers, and discharges. Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records. Answer and direct incoming calls, take messages, and manage paging systems for the unit.
• Communication: Serve as a liaison between patients, families, healthcare providers, and other hospital departments, ensuring effective communication within the unit.
• Scheduling: Coordinate and schedule patient appointments, tests, and procedures as directed by healthcare providers.
• Clerical and Organizational Tasks: Maintain an organized and efficient work environment by managing supplies, ensuring that forms and materials are readily available, and keeping the unit's physical and digital spaces well-organized.
• Unit communication Tasks: Update unit communication tools, such as whiteboards and patient status boards, to reflect current patient information and staff assignments.

Clinical Duties (CNA):

• Patient Care: Assist patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, grooming, feeding, intake/output, and toileting. Answer call lights promptly, and relay patient concerns to the nursing team.
• Vital Signs: Monitor and record vital signs, including temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rates, oxygen saturation, weights, and blood sugars as needed and report any abnormalities to the nursing staff. 
• Mobility Assistance: Assist patients with mobility, including turning, positioning, and transferring from bed to wheelchair or stretcher, using proper body mechanics and safety techniques.
• Specimen Collection: Collect specimens such as urine, stool, and ACTs (Activated Clotting Time) for laboratory testing as directed by nursing staff.
• Procedures: Performs EKGs, marks pulse sites on patients when appropriate, and pulls sheaths under direction of a registered nurse.
• Patient Safety: Observe and report any changes in patients conditions to the nursing staff. Ensure the safety and comfort of patients by following established protocols. Utilize restraints and assistive devices appropriately. Assist with emergency codes as needed.
• Documentation: Document patient care activities and observations in the electronic health record (EHR) system in a timely and accurate manner.
• Infection Control: Adhere to infection control procedures, including hand hygiene, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and environmental cleaning.
• Equipment Handling: Assist with the setup, operation, and cleaning of medical equipment as directed by the nursing staff. Assist in anesthesia machine turn over.
• Patient Experience: Engage with patients and their families in a manner that promotes comfort, trust, and understanding. Address patient concerns with empathy and professionalism, striving to create a positive and supportive environment that fosters a sense of security and well-being.
• Employee Experience: Contribute to a positive and collaborative work environment. Offer constructive feedback and assistance to peers, and engage in open communication to promote a culture of mutual respect and teamwork.
• Flexibility: Demonstrates flexibility with assignments within professional scope/duties 

Non-essential Duties

• Assist with additional clerical tasks such as filing, faxing, and photocopying as needed.
• Help in maintaining inventory levels for medical supplies and equipment within the unit. Maintain and stock patient care supplies and equipment in designated areas.
• Occasionally assist in transporting patients to other departments within the hospital as needed.
• Assist with non-clinical patient needs, such as directing visitors to the appropriate locations within the facility.
• Provide support during unit meetings by preparing agendas, taking minutes, and distributing meeting materials.
• Participate in unit-based quality improvement initiatives by providing administrative support for data collection and analysis.
• Provide general assistance to visitors and non-clinical patients, offering directions and answering basic inquiries about the hospital's services.
• Environmental Maintenance: Assist in maintaining a clean and organized work environment, including tidying patient rooms and common areas.

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of medical terminology preferred.
• Knowledge of ordering supplies
• Proficient on computers and efficient data entry- required

Required Licensure/Education

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Completion of certified nurse aid course.
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification required in the state of Illinois.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association required.

Employee Health Requirements

Exposure/Sensory Requirements:

Exposure:

• Chemicals: Refer to MSDS sheets
• Video Display Terminals: Average
• Blood and Body Fluids: Depends on patients diagnosis, exposure to urine, blood, stool, vomitus, AIDS, Herpes.
• TB or Airborne Pathogens: High risk-sputum, secretions, coughing. Likelihood of exposure can be reduced with universal precautions. 

Sensory requirements (speech, vision, smell, hearing, touch):

• Speech: Required to communicate with patient/families/staff/doctors, coworkers, ancillary personnel and other department heads, during presentations/training, telephone communication, and facilitate meetings. Ability to ask for help. 
• Vision: Needed to read memos MD orders, literature, and computer input. Required to observe patients; reading equipment and dials.
• Smell: Helpful to note presence of incontinence, vomitus, blood; electrical/fire safety
• Hearing: Needed for telephone communication, meetings, alarms, calls for help, hear patient verbalizations, and listening to employee/patients and staff.
• Touch: Contact with patients, need to distinguish between hot and cold. Needed to write, computer entry, filing.

Activity/Lifting Requirements:

Percentage of time during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 70%
• Twist: 10%
• Stand: 20%
• Crawl: 0%
• Walk: 10%
• Kneel: 2%
• Lift: 5%
• Drive: 0%
• Squat: 5%
• Climb: 1%
• Bend: 5%
• Reach above shoulders: 2%

The weight required to be lifted each normal workday according to the continuum described below:

• Up to 10 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 20 lbs: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs: Occasionally
• Up to 50 lbs: Not Required
• Up to 75 lbs: Not Required
• Up to 100 lbs: Not Required
• Over 100lbs: Frequently 

Describe and explain the lifting and carrying requirements:

• Carry old reports to nursing counter, waist high, approx. 5-10'. 
• Lift IV supplies from med counter to cabinets approx. 2-5'. 
• Lift. /carry C/S supplies from utility room floor to cabinets, 3-8'. 
• Carry stacks of charts, waist high, counter to counter, approx. 5-15'. 
• In emergency, could carry fire extinguisher down/up 5 flights of steps and several hundred yards.

Maximum consecutive time (minutes) during the normal workday for each activity:

• Sit: 120
• Twist: 10
• Stand: 30
• Crawl: 0
• Walk: 10
• Kneel: 5
• Lift: 5
• Drive: 0
• Squat: 5
• Climb: 1
• Bend: 15
• Reach above shoulders: 2

Repetitive use of hands (Frequency indicated):

• Simple grasp up to 10 lbs. 
• Normal weight: 5- 10#-often
• Pushing and pulling normal weight: 5-200# occasionally.
• Fine Manipulation: Scissors, tape, stickers, stapler. Separating sheets of paper. Tearing perforated papers apart.

Repetitive use of foot or feet in operating machine control:

• None

Environmental Factors and Special Hazards:

• Environmental Factors (Time Spent):
• Inside hours: 6-40
• Outside hours: 0
• Temperature: Normal Range
• Lighting: Average
• Noise levels: Average
• Humidity: Dry
• Atmosphere: odors
• Special Hazards: Radiation, Chemical 
• Explosive - Chemical - drugs; Explosive-oxygen; Radiation-cesium implants and radioactive iodine therapy.
• Protective Clothing Required: Gowns, gloves, goggles, masks, HEPA masks for TB.\"