How to Become an Inpatient Secretary
Inpatient secretaries work in healthcare facilities like hospitals and long term care facilities. While they do not perform any clinical procedures, they must be familiar with medical terminology and abbreviations, understand basic anatomy and know what medical equipment is used for. Their role is primarily clerical. They provide administrative and secretarial support to doctors, psychiatrists and the nursing staff in medical wards throughout a facility. To become an inpatient secretary you must have all of the skills and training of a secretary, plus a little understanding of the fundamentals of health care. Read on to learn more.
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Instructions
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Become an Inpatient Secretary
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Become a certified nursing assistant. CNA's assist hospital patients with tasks like dressing, bathing and feeding, but they also learn to take blood pressure and pulse, and help with things like range of motion exercises. It is an excellent way to become familiar with hospital procedure and, since many hospitals cross train, you will have an opportunity to work your way up into an inpatient secretarial position.
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Volunteer your time at a hospital or nursing home to familiarize yourself with hospital process. Volunteers perform tasks like manning the information desk or working in the gift shop or pharmacy, delivering flowers and transporting medical records, lab specimens and medicines from ward to ward. Some experienced volunteers even help out in the emergency and delivery rooms. After you have completed your volunteer service and are ready to apply for a job as an inpatient secretary, you can ask the director of volunteers to write a letter of recommendation for you.
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Take a secretarial course. To become an inpatient secretary, you must have computer, software and keyboarding skills, know how to produce and maintain spreadsheets and databases and send and retrieve emails and faxes.
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Work on your communication skills. Working in a hospital around sick patients can be stressful and sometimes the hours are long. You must be able to communicate effectively and diplomatically with doctors, the nursing staff and your co-workers in any situation.
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Brush up on your English grammar, spelling and writing skills. You will be responsible for producing reports and memos. It is essential that they are well written and accurate.
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Tips & Warnings
Working flextime can be a good thing, but get ready for some really crazy hours if you become an inpatient secretary. You may be asked to work anywhere between 20 and 65 hours a week. If beds are empty, you will have a short workweek, but when the hospital is overrun with patients or in a time of crisis, you will be expected to put in long hours.
