How to Train Unit Secretaries Correctly

The importance of a well-trained unit secretary can always be emphasized. The unit secretary performs critical functions that contribute to the overall success of healthcare teams and patient outcomes. Unfortunately, many training programs for unit secretaries are inadequate, leading to confusion, errors, and frustration among unit secretaries and healthcare teams. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of training unit secretaries correctly and provide tips for training them effectively.

Understand the role of the unit secretary.

The first step in training unit secretaries is understanding their roles and responsibilities. The unit secretary is responsible for various duties, including answering phone calls, scheduling appointments, maintaining patient records, processing orders, and ensuring the unit runs smoothly. Clearly define their role and expectations, and ensure they understand their role in the team and the care they provide to the patients.

Tailor your training to the needs of individual unit secretaries.

Not all unit secretaries are equal, and neither are their training needs. While some may require more in-depth training due to their experience level or other factors, new unit secretaries may have different learning needs. Ensure that you tailor their training to their individual learning needs. You can provide classroom-based training, online resources, on-the-job training, and coaching.

Utilize tools to facilitate training.

Training tools can be a valuable asset when training unit secretaries. They can include form templates, process guidelines, and checklists for everyday tasks. Having a range of resources and documentation to support learning provides a quick reference point for unit secretaries in performing their duties and increases their confidence and ability to perform efficiently.

Encourage ongoing learning and development.

Efforts to train unit secretaries should continue even after the initial training is complete. Encourage unit secretaries to learn continuously and develop new skills to stay relevant. This can include attending conferences, workshops, further training, coaching, mentoring, and being involved in professional associations.

Monitor and evaluate training effectiveness.

Finally, it is important to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your training program. You can identify areas for improvement and further training by periodically assessing your unit secretary's performance. You can also evaluate your training methods and adjust accordingly to ensure that they align with the current needs and requirements of the unit.

The unit secretary plays an essential role in delivering care within healthcare teams. If a unit secretary's duties are performed correctly, the team's efficiency may decrease, and patient care can be affected positively. Therefore, it is vital to train unit secretaries correctly and support them in developing the skills and knowledge required for their roles. 

Understanding the importance of their role, tailoring their training to their learning needs, providing tools to facilitate the training, encouraging ongoing learning and development, and monitoring training effectiveness will improve the performance of your unit secretary and your healthcare team's overall success.

Where Can I Go to Get Training to Become a Unit Secretary (VIdeo)

Many training options exist for becoming a unit secretary, including online courses and on-the-job learning opportunities. 

There is no shortage of opportunities for training in becoming a Unit Secretary. Training for this position can be found all over the country. 

What type of training is needed to become a unit secretary?

Most people think that secretarial skills are only required for office jobs, but this isn't true! You'll need some serious organizational abilities in order to take on the role effectively. A good way would be taking a course through your local college or university—it might even give you practical experience working with files as well so it will feel more immersive than just watching videos alone at home...

As a unit secretary, you must have excellent written and verbal communication skills for your work to be practical. This includes being able to think on their feet when responding or dealing with issues that arise during the course of running an entire department from start to finish! 

In addition, it is important not only to communicate well but also to listen carefully so my fellow staff members feel heard at all times as we tackle challenges together. 

The Trainer You Get Can Determine Whether You Succeed or Fail (Video)

 

2 More Tips for the New Unit Secretary (Video)

I made a video a while ago titled 3 Tips for the New Unit Secretary, where I explained that you should take good notes, understand that there are a lot of personalities in the hospital, and know that burnout may happen.

In this video, I added two more tips, one of which is to take good notes! The other is to be time. 

Watch the video above to find out why.

Warning Signs of a Bad Trainer (Video)

These are some of the warning signs of a bad trainer.

1. They huff and puff about having to train you.
2. They mumble under their breath.
3. They make you feel uncomfortable.
4. They ignore you and converse with others as if you are not there.
5. They nitpick at any little thing that you do.
6. They do not correct you when you make a mistake (they want you to fail).

Are the Health Unit Coordinators Trained Properly? (Video)

This is the story of how I became a Health Unit Coordinator.

I applied for the job online and was called in for an interview. Before the interview, I had to take a typing test. I took the test and passed, then interviewed and got the job. 

For the first two weeks of the job, the rest of the new HUCs and I were in a room for eight hours, learning medical terminology. Once we passed the medical terminology course, we moved on to the unit we would be working on and were put into a room to complete the required Computer-Based Learning (CBLs). Then, we were allowed on the floor to start our orientation.

If you want to be a Unit Clerk, you must pass a background and drug test. And then, you are sent to the floor for a rushed-through orientation with multiple people. 

How can a new HUC process all of this information, some of which is right and some of which is wrong, depending on who trained them?

How is that being trained properly?

Letting The Health Unit Coordinator Fail (Video)

About five years ago, I was sitting at the desk as a Health Unit Coordinator when a patient's wife spoke with me.

She explained that she was a HUC many years ago and had one foolproof way to guarantee job security.

"Don't teach the new HUCs everything that you know." She explained that they would get frustrated and quit if the new HUCs didn't know what they were doing. Or appear extremely incompetent and get fired.

More overtime for you.

I just sat there and listened to her, but I thought, what kind of person do you have to be to want to see another person fail? Especially someone who has bills, possibly a family, or other responsibilities. What kind of person are you?

I’ve never subscribed to that type of thinking. When I train someone new, I want them to know what I know. I encourage them to take notes. I introduced them to other staff members. I want them to become the Mama Bear of their unit. I want them to be so knowledgeable that they get compliments from staff and outsiders daily. I want them to be missed when they are not there. I want them to stay. I don't want to be training every six months. A unit/department cannot function properly with a high turnover.

I'm the most cheerful, helpful, and knowledgeable trainer when a new HUC needs to be orientated. And that’s because I don’t subscribe to the same thinking as the patient’s wife.

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