Unit Secretary - PT Evenings (Float Pool VBMC)

Vassar Brothers Medical Center; City of Poughkeepsie (NY); On-site; USD 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwell Health’s affiliated Vassar Brothers Medical Center seeks a Nursing Float Pool Clerk to perform clerical duties and non-professional services that support efficient nursing operations. Responsibilities include maintaining patient records, EMR accuracy, discharge preparation, and interdepartmental communication.

The role emphasizes accurate documentation, patient flow coordination, and adherence to unit procedures, with opportunities to float to other units as needed.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Basic understanding of office equipment.
• General knowledge of simple medical procedures or terminology.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates all activities involved in the preparation and maintenance of patient records to ensure accuracy and completeness, including assembling admission records, patient records, and printing labels and ID bands.
• Ensures EMR entries and updates are accurate and complete.
• Prepares patient records for discharge or transfer, including copying paperwork and coordinating with discharge teams.
• Maintains professional communication when speaking on the phone, taking messages, and scheduling post-discharge follow-up appointments.
• Manages capacity with electronic bed management, ensuring census data is current.
• Keeps nursing board updated and maintains orderly work area and station.
• Floats to other units as needed to support department efficiency.
• Stays current with clerical practices and participates in mandatory training.
• Assists leadership with chart audits, bulletin boards, and cost-effective supply management.

Skills

Office equipment

Medical terminology

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Job description

Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Northwell is New York State’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees — including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners — who are working to change health care for the better.

Job Summary: Under the direct supervision of a registered nurse performs specific clerical function and non-professional services necessary to maintain efficient and effective operations of the nursing unit or department, consistent with the philosophy, goals, policies and procedures of the nursing department and hospital administration.

Essential Responsibilities

1. Coordinates all activities involved in the preparation and maintenance of patient records to ensure accuracy and completeness, including assembling all admission records, patient records, and printing labels and I.D bands.
2. Ensures that electronic medical records (“EMR”) are processed and maintained in an accurate and complete manner, enters and updates patient information.
3. Prepares patient records for discharge and/or transfer including, copying paperwork, chart breakdown, and contacting appropriate departments including discharge concierge.
4. Ensures accurate, timely and professional communication when speaking on the phone, taking messages from members of the department, speaking to patients and physicians, and making post-discharge follow-up appointments.
5. Facilitates efficient patient flow by means of electronic capacity management, bed management system and ensures clinical attributes in capacity management are current and accurate.
6. Organizes and prioritizes workload to complete responsibilities within assigned shift, updates primary nursing board (patient assignment board) daily and as changes occur, initiates and/or updates census sheet, and maintains work area and nurses’ station in a neat and orderly manner.
7. Floats to other units to provide assistance as needed, and/or accept additional assignments as requested to support the department’s efficiency as observed by nursing leadership.
8. Remains current in clerical practices, programs and procedures utilized by the department, and attends mandatory in-services as evidenced by completed education record on the nursing unit.
9. Under the instruction and guidance from leadership, assist with chart audits, maintaining informational bulletin boards, ordering and maintaining unit supplies in a cost-effective manner, and other non-clinical activities.

Education and Experience Requirements

• High School diploma, or equivalent experience.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Requirements

• Basic understanding of office equipment and general knowledge of simple medical procedures or terminology.

Working Conditions

Manual: significant manual skills/motor coord & finger dexterity

Occupational: Some occupational risk

Physical Effort: Sedentary/light effort. May exert up to 10 lbs. force

Physical Environment: Generally pleasant working conditions

Company: Vassar Brothers Medical Center

Org Unit: 1219

Department: Nursing Float Pool

Exempt: No

Salary Range: $20.71 Hourly