Telecommunications Operator

Advocate Health Care; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health Care in Libertyville, Illinois, is looking for an operator to manage the paging system and support communication for patients and staff. Responsibilities include processing calls, monitoring alarms, and handling emergencies.

The ideal candidate should have a High School education and 1-2 years of relevant experience, with strong typing skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Flexibility in hours is required.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Ability to process calls courteously and efficiently.
• Maintain composure under stress.

Responsibilities

• Ensure effective operation of the paging system.
• Monitor and report phone equipment issues.
• Provide timely notifications during emergencies.

Skills

Typing 30-40 WPM

Switchboard console operation

Computer terminal operation

Education

High School or equivalent

Job description

Major Responsibilities

Ensure effective and efficient operation of the paging system, AmCom

• Process incoming calls for patients, staff, physicians, and public in a courteous and professional manner.
• Process outgoing calls for staff and physicians in a courteous and professional manner.
• Process incoming and outgoing calls on the Doctors Answering Service. Perform board checks to ensure a timely delivery of all messages (physician and office).
• Record and transmit messages for physicians and office personnel on the Doctors Answering Service.
• Enter pager blocks for physicians.

Enter physician vacation time and on-call information immediately whether on exception scheduler or Remarks.

• Assist patients, staff, and physicians in placing outgoing calls in a courteous and professional manner.
• Place long distance calls for staff/administration in a courteous and professional manner.
• Report all telephone equipment issues to Telecommunications Analyst by way of the Help desk.
• Report internal specific phone trouble to repair service to the Telecommunications analysts by way of the Help desk.
• Assist in replacement service of patient telephones.

Ensure the code team is dispatched following hospital protocol.

• Notify Cardiac Cath Lab of emergency procedures to be performed on off hours.
• Dispatch cardiac code team for Code Blue’s, processing through amcom paging terminal, and announcing over the intercom system. Notify Emergency department when a house doctor isn't available.

Ensure accuracy in department procedure during external/internal disasters.

• Monitor bomb threat calls (taking notes, e.g., time, male/female, tone of voice, accent, etc.).
• Make appropriate notifications immediately following a bomb threat.
• Make appropriate notifications for external/internal disasters and accurately log events as they occur.
• Make appropriate notifications when fire alarm is activated.
• Make appropriate notifications upon receiving a statement of severe weather.
• Make appropriate notifications upon receiving a statement of disturbance in progress.

Conduct a wide range of paging functions.

• Swap out faulty pager equipment for staff/physicians by using telephone# to American Messaging listed in Amcom.

Log all information on pager swaps in pager log book accurately and in a timely manner.

• Page physicians, staff, and family members of patients via public address system and house pagers, and page physicians long range when requested by staff.
• Make public address announcements for department meetings and special events, when requested.
• Make public address announcements for all emergency situations.

Monitor various alarm systems.

• Monitor all hospital building fire alarms, blood bank refrigerator, medical gas alarms, dietary etc.

Provide accurate information to patients, staff, physicians, and the public, as requested.

• Make appropriate notifications for patient expirations.
• Take messages for physicians, administration, managers, as a courtesy, when necessary.
• Accurately provide various general information to patients, staff, physicians, and the public, including, but not limited to: patient room numbers by referring to the AmCom computer system, physician office and service telephone numbers, visiting hours, hospital and professional building addresses, specific department and/or extension numbers to call for specific information or complaints, phone operation and paging instructions, pager numbers, by referring to directories or computer terminal.

Maintain department logs for various department procedures, equipment/pagers/keys that Telecommunications releases for use by hospital staff.

• Maintain house physician’s pagers, keys for Telecommunications equipment room and physician’s call room, and register for sign out and return of all the aforementioned for referral, and to insure accountability for unreturned pagers and/or keys.
• Maintain accurate information in department logs for replacement of patient phones, hard of hearing phones, TDD Units.
• Document all emergency information, as received.
• Maintain accurate log of telephone system alarms and trouble for repair.
• Maintain accurate log of all Code Blue’s for referral, as needed.
• Accurately log all fire alarms, for referral, according to department procedure.

Other duties assigned to them by the coordinator/lead operator to ensure the department needs are met.

• Filing of paperwork in the physician answering service files.
• Updating the on/call schedules. Contacting the department/physicians to obtain current/upcoming schedules.
• Perform various data entry tasks.

Qualifications

Education/Experience Required: High School or equivalent. 1-2 years experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: Types 30-40 WPM, preferred.

Switchboard console operation.

Ability to operate a computer terminal. Not Applicable.

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

Ability to process various calls in a courteous, rapid, and professional manner.

Ability to maintain composure under stressful, emergency situations.

Willing to work flexible hours, weekends, and holidays.

Ability to prioritize work flow efficiently and effectively.

Ability to sit for extended periods. If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015.

Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Addendum: ADDENDUM TO JOB DESCRIPTIONS RELATED TO PATIENT SAFETY.

Report patient safety events and near misses in timely fashion.

Adhere to all behavioral and procedural patient safety practices.

Promote culture of safety through identifying threats to patient safety and intervening to prevent patient harm.

Communicate openly and promote team work.

Report intimidating behavior and other threats to patient safety promptly.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.