Health Unit Secretary
Health Unit Coordinators:
Individuals may also be known as unit clerks, ward clerks, or unit
secretaries. Some of their daily operations include preparing special
documents such as birth/death certificates, maintaining patient charts and
records, coordinating patient activities for the unit, ordering supplies, and
communicating Are members of the supporting cast that helps maintain a
with the dietary department. They may also perform other duties such as
graphing the temperature, pulse, and blood pressure readings for patients,
as well as transcribing medical orders and completing admission and
discharge forms. Health unit coordinators usually work under the
supervision of the registered nursing staff or the health information
administrator. One of their main responsibilities is to act as a liaison
between the patients and staff. They must have excellent communication
skills in order to serve as this vital link between the physicians, nursing
staff, various departments, patients, and visitors. Since these unit
coordinators may serve as receptionists on patient floors, they must
possess a pleasant and professional disposition in Are members of the
supporting cast that helps maintain a Are members of the supporting cast
that helps maintain a individuals may also be known as unit clerks, ward
clerks, or unit secretaries. Some of their daily operations include preparing
special documents such as birth/death certificates, maintaining patient
charts and records, coordinating patient activities for the unit, ordering
supplies, and communicating Are members of the supporting cast that
helps maintain a with the dietary department. They may also perform other
duties such as graphing the temperature, pulse, and blood pressure
readings for patients, as well as transcribing medical orders and
completing admission and discharge forms. Health unit coordinators
usually work under the supervision of the registered nursing staff or the
health information administrator. One of their main responsibilities is to act
as a liaison between the patients and staff. They must have excellent
communication skills in order to serve as this vital link between the
physicians, nursing staff, various departments, patients, and visitors. Since
these unit coordinators may serve as receptionists on patient floors, they
must possess a pleasant and professional disposition in dealing with the
public. Anyone interested in this health related profession should pay close
attention to detail, be reliable and dependable, and have the ability to follow
instructions and procedures

Work Environment:
Health unit coordinators work in a variety of health care settings such as
hospitals, clinics, public health care agencies, health maintenance
organizations (HMOs), nursing homes, home health agencies, and
government agencies. Working conditions vary greatly with hours
ranging from full-time to part-time. Individuals entering a health unit
coordinator program should have a high school diploma or equivalent.  
The majority of employers require formal training or previous experience
as a health unit coordinator. Certification can be obtained by passing an
examination given by the National Association of Health Unit Coordinators.
Students interested in becoming a health
unit coordinator should contact schools for information on admission and
course of study.

Career Outlook:
Employment opportunities:
Health unit coordinators are expected to expand rapidly over the next
decade. There is expected to be an increase of over 25% in the number of
positions for health unit coordinators through the year 2010. This growth
is primarily due to overall growth in all health related professions. As the
population gets increasingly older, the need for unit
coordinators will be enhanced because of the need for efficiency and cost
effectiveness in hospitals and clinics. Many other health care facilities such
as health maintenance organizations, nursing homes, and home health
agencies will also be utilizing health unit coordinators because of the need
to keep accurate and secure medical records.                     
 

Health Unit Coordinator course includes:
History of Health Unit Coordinating
Profession of Health Unit Coordinating
The health care team
Patient care delivery system        
Coordination of the unit/department
Management of information
Communication Skills
Cultural Diversity
Medical Terminology
Transcription
Ordering test and procedures
Anatomy
Basic computer skills
Professional Development
HUC Internship        

Course length 6 months,
Internship 160 hours required
Course schedule Mon. Wed. Fri.
6:00 to 10:00 pm

Cost
Tuition $2250.00
Books $72.00
CPR $42.00
Drug Screen $15.00
NAHUC Exam $175.00