Unit Clerk

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:

• 2006 NOC: Medical Secretaries (1243) 
• 2006 NOC-S: Medical Secretaries (B213) 
• 2011 NOC: Medical administrative assistants (1243) 
• 2016 NOC: Medical administrative assistants (1243) 

Unit clerks are responsible for maintaining an orderly nursing station and assisting the healthcare team by:

• Assembling standard forms for patient charts
• Coordinating the flow of communication between health care professionals, departments, patients and families
• Collecting required patient health information to process forms and documents
• Completing admission and discharge documentation
• Processing physicians’ orders by recording information on requisition forms, consent forms, chart forms and computerized systems
• Processing medication, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, dietary and treatment orders
• Liaising with other departments and external resources as required for patient care
• Coordinating and scheduling patient tests and treatments with internal departments and external centres
• Arranging for patient transportation and transfers
• Contacting patients to advise them of admission, discharge and appointment dates
• Greeting, screening and directing visitors, and distributing flowers, mail and packages
• Answering the telephone, relaying messages and transferring calls
• Performing other administrative and clerical functions, such as word processing and formatting, preparing staff schedules, updating patient census and room lists, filing documents and cards, and requisitioning office and medical supplies

Unit clerks generally work day and evening shifts in hospitals and other health care facilities. However, on some wards they may be required to work rotating shifts that include weekends and nights. They may work 4-, 8-, 10- or 12-hour shifts. Hours may change to reflect current health care delivery and staff utilization patterns.

Ongoing exposure to the emotional stress that illness or injury causes patients and their families can cause stress for unit clerks. They work in very busy environments, continually interacting with other people. Unit clerks may be exposed to infection and disease. They must observe proper hygiene and safety precautions.

Unit clerks are routinely required to lift items weighing up to 10 kilograms.

Unit clerks work in:

• Hospitals
• Acute care facilities
• Continuing care facilities
• Rehabilitation institutions

Full-time job openings for unit clerks are sometimes filled by other hospital employees, such as part-time unit clerks or licensed practical nurses. Therefore, starting employment positions for unit clerks are typically part time or casual.

Applicants for employment are required to undergo a police security clearance and may be asked to complete a medical terminology exam or a keyboarding test.

In large organizations, experienced unit clerks may advance to clerical coordinator positions or move into other clerical and administrative support occupations.

Unit clerks are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1243: Medical administrative assistants. In Alberta, 88% of people employed in this classification work in the Health Care and Social Assistance [pdf] industry.

The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry)
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation

In Alberta, the 1243: Medical administrative assistants occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 3.4% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 150 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) website: www.aupe.org

Canadian Union of Public Employee (CUPE) website: cupe.ca

Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: hsaa.ca

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