Switchboard Operator - Telecommunications - Full Time

Guthrie; City of Binghamton (NY); On-site; USD 24,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Guthrie Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, NY is hiring a full-time Switchboard Operator to connect patients, families and staff 24/7. You will manage the telecommunications system, route calls and respond to urgent needs with calm professionalism.

The role requires high school diploma, at least one year in telecom, data entry and strong English skills. You’ll train new operators and cover after-hours paging for Guthrie entities.

Shift is 3rd shift, 9:30 PM to 6:00 AM, with every other weekend.

Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Prefer minimum of one year’s experience in telecommunications.
• Data entry, Windows XP, and Excel skills required.
• Fluency in English and excellent keyboarding.

Responsibilities

• Answers 3500–4500 incoming calls daily.
• Operates Amcom system and maintains call routing.
• Creates/updates daily on-call sheet for 90+ providers and staff.
• Provides after-hours paging for Guthrie entities.
• Back-up coverage for patient information desk.
• Monitors alarm panel and notifies departments of emergencies.
• Trains new operators across shifts.

Skills

Data entry

Keyboarding

English fluency

Communication

Multitasking

Phone etiquette

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Amcom system

Excel

Windows XP

Job description

Be the voice that connects care. As Guthire's Switchboard Operator, you'll serve as the vital communication hub of our healthcare team, ensuring patients, families, physicians, and staff stay connected when it matters most. Your professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail will help support seamless patient care across the hospital.

About Guthrie Lourdes Hospital

Join a 197-bed acute care hospital known for supporting its nurses and recognized nationally as a top place to work, including Modern Healthcare, Forbes, and Newsweek.

Schedule & Coverage

Full Time, 3rd Shift, 9:30PM-6:00AM, and every other weekend

Position Summary

Switchboard operators are responsible for courteous, efficient operation of Guthrie’s telecommunications system 24 hours a day. Operators field calls and inquiries, and direct internal and external calls to the proper destination. They are a vital link in the communication information network throughout the Guthrie system.

Education, License & Cert

• High school graduate or equivalent

Experience

• Prefer minimum of one year’s experience in the telecommunications field.
• Computer skills which include data entry, Windows XP, and Excel are required.
• Accurate and efficient keyboarding skills are necessary as well as fluency with the English language.

Essential Functions

1. Activates approximately 25 codes for potentially life-threatening situations.
   • a. Activates codes utilizing the overhead paging system and pagers and following a detailed checklist to ensure all essential personnel have been notified to respond to the emergency.
   • b. Responds immediately to correctly activate the codes as time is crucial to the patient’s well-being.
2. Assists in answering an average of 3500-4500 incoming calls on a daily basis.
3. Operates database for the Amcom system.
4. Creates and updates a daily on-call sheet of over 90 providers and staff
   • a. Distributes and updates on-call list to the ED, Trauma Department, and Communications Center so that they are informed of vital information related to patient transfers from other facilities.
5. Provides after-hours paging service for patient calls for several outlying Guthrie Entities.
6. Provides back-up coverage for the patient information desk.
7. Monitors alarm panel.
   • a. Notifies proper department when the emergency alarm panel activates as a result of a malfunction. There are 43 alarms in this panel requiring exceptional judgment in responding.
8. Trains new operators.
   • a. Assists in training new operators on all shifts to ensure they are competent to perform this job successfully.
9. Is required to problem-solve and find solutions with little to no direction/supervision.

Other Duties

1. Other duties as assigned.

The pay range for this position is $17.34-$23.96/hr based on experience.