Nursing Unit Clerk - Certificate

Does a challenging, interesting career as a support person for a hospital health care team appeal to you? Get the knowledge, skills and experience you need to work in a health care setting.

Program at a Glance

Length

8 months

Credential

Certificate

School

Health & Human Services

Delivery Method

Online

Campus

Online

Intake Dates

Fall

Winter

Contacts

Sarah Lechthaler

Program Coordinator, Instructor

Phone

1 (250) 368-5236

23786

Contact by email

Have Questions?

Student Recruiters

Direct

1 (250) 304-5071

Contact by email

Overview

The Nursing Unit Clerk Program prepares students with the knowledge, skills and experience to work in a health care setting as a nursing unit assistant, nursing unit clerk or health unit coordinator/hospital unit clerk.

The Selkirk Advantage

What does Selkirk College's program offer that you can't get elsewhere?

Flexibility! Fully online, no set hours to be in class. Work at your own pace with pre-determined assessment due dates.
Optional one-to-one instructional support
Affordability! Less money spent in tuition.

Take this program if you:

Enjoy working in a busy, challenging and exciting team environment
Have excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing
Are highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to multitask
Are able to be flexible in the performance of your job duties
Are able to work independently and collaboratively within a team

What Is a Nursing Unit Clerk?

This is a unique and often little understood position. Persons in this job provide non-clinical support to the interdisciplinary health care team, working at a nursing station of a patient care unit. Nursing unit clerks (NUCs) play a vital role in managing information flow in the hospital nursing unit. They have been described as the “go-to” person and the “hub” of the nursing unit. The NUC performs tasks such as answering phones, taking and relaying messages, greeting people who come to the desk, answering questions, completing paperwork and computer data entry.

Job roles and responsibilities can include:

Interpreting medical terminology and abbreviations
Coordinating communications
Using excellent, professional communication skills
Protecting confidentiality and patient rights
Processing physicians’ orders for patient care
Processing patient admissions, transfers and discharges
Collaborating with health care professionals
Applying problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Using organization, time-management and stress-management skills
Entering and retrieving information utilizing electronic health records

Program Information

The program is delivered in an online format. It is not available in a classroom on campus.

A computer is required to complete this online program—cell phones and tablets will not support all functionalities.

Students must have computer skills to complete this program (i.e., be familiar with internet, email, word processing and file management).

This is not a self-paced program; it is a scheduled program. Each course has a designated start and end date. Students are required to follow their program schedule and complete the courses within the allotted timeframe.

Students need at least 25 hours of study time per week and complete the program in two semesters (one school year).

Study time does not include time the student spends doing homework (completing assignments, studying for and writing exams, etc.).

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the general admission requirements to Selkirk College, the applicant must meet the following Nursing Unit Clerk Program requirements to be considered fully-qualified:

English Studies 12 with a minimum of 60% or higher, or equivalent

Additional Requirements

Keyboarding speed of 40 words per minute
Computer skills, including knowledge of internet, email, word processing and file management.
Criminal Record Check (CRC) clearance letter by the Criminal Record Check from the Criminal Records Review Program, including clearance to work with vulnerable adults. as part of the application process. The CRC will be available, on request, to any hospital or health facility receiving students for the practicum.
Selkirk College immunization form as required by practice partners and as ordered by the Medical Health Officer of British Columbia.

Before an application file is considered complete, a Selkirk College Application Form along with proof of the above requirements must be received by the Admissions Office.

Program seats will be offered on a first-qualified, first-served basis. Partially qualified applicants may be offered a conditional acceptance; an interim statement of grades will be used for the purposes of conditional acceptance. All program admission requirements must be met prior to starting program courses. Once the seats have been filled, a waitlist will be created and maintained for 12 months, after which applicants who are not admitted or have deferred a seat must reapply to affirm their continued interest in the program.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Before an application file is considered complete, the following must be received by the Admissions Office:

a) Selkirk College Application Form

b) Official transcripts of high school grades (an interim statement of grades is acceptable if applicant is still attending school)

c) Official transcripts for any post-secondary education studies in which the applicant has enrolled

d) Evidence of keyboarding speed of 40 words per minute

e) Criminal Record Check (CRC) clearance letter by the Criminal Record Check from the Criminal Records Review Program, including clearance to work with vulnerable adults

f) Selkirk College immunization form as required by practice partners and as ordered by the Medical Health Officer of British Columbia.

2. The Admissions Office will acknowledge receipt of application forms. Program seats will be offered on a first qualified, first served basis.

3. Partially qualified applicants may be offered conditional acceptance; an interim statement of grades will be used for the purposes of conditional acceptance. All program admission requirements must be met prior to starting program courses.

4. Once the seats have been filled, a waitlist will be created and maintained for 12 months after which applicants who are not admitted or have deferred a seat must reapply to affirm their continued interest in the program.

Graduation and Promotion

To qualify for graduation, a student must meet the following requirements (see Policy 8617: Graduation):

To progress from term to term, students must obtain a minimum grade of 80% in each course and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00.

PROMOTION

1. To progress from semester to semester, students must obtain a minimum grade of 80% in each course and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

2. Students who fail in any course must re-register and repeat the course in its entirety before proceeding on to the next course.

3. All courses must be completed in the time frame specified by the college timetable. Allowances may be made for the preceptorship due to the employer's ability to accommodate.

4. Probation will be initiated if a student fails two (2) courses.

5. Failure of a third course may be cause for dismissal from the program.

Courses

Required Courses

NUCL100 - NUCL Program Foundation

NUCL 100 Program Foundations introduces learners to the Nursing Unit Clerk Program structure and how to navigate the learning management system and other technology utilized in the program. An overview of the curriculum and teaching and learning strategies are introduced and discussed. Students are introduced to and supported by instructors in learning threshold concepts to prepare them for the course requirements.

Credits

1.00

MTED100 - Medical Terminology I

MTED 100 Medical Terminology I. Learners complete an introductory study of the construction of medical terms including root words, suffixes and prefixes relating to the various body systems.

Prerequisites

Admission to the Nursing Unit Clerk program

Credits

1.00

MTED101 - Medical Terminology II

MTED 101 Medical Terminology II. Learners study anatomy and physiology of the main body systems. Learners will learn the word parts, abbreviations, prefixes, suffixes, disease process and treatments relating to terminology specific to each body system, including disease processes and treatments. Learners will correctly pronounce medical terms relating to terminology specific to each body system.

Prerequisites

MTED 100

Credits

3.00

NUCL146 - Hospital Orientation

NUCL 146 Hospital Orientation introduces the learner to hospital departments, staff and communications, with emphasis on the role of the Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) as the communications coordinator for the nursing unit. Information is given about processing physicians' orders for patient care, confidentiality and ethics, hospital codes, coping skills and technology in the workplace.

Prerequisites

Acceptance to the NUC Certificate Program

Credits

2.00

NUCL152 - Patient Chart Records

NUCL 152 Patient Chart Records introduces the learner to the forms used to create patient charts in the hospital. Information is given about how to create a patient admission chart, additional forms added to a chart to individualize it for a specific patient and the Nursing Unit Clerk's responsibilities for patient charts and chart forms. Actual forms are used for practice.

Prerequisites

NUCL 146

Credits

2.50

NUCL154 - Admissions, Discharges and Transfers

NUCL 154 Admissions, Discharges and Transfers introduces the learner to the Nursing Unit Clerk's (NUC) role in admission, discharge and transfer procedures within the hospital. Information is given about antibiotic resistant organisms and isolation procedures, the Admitting/Registration Department and their role in admitting patients, and how the NUC interacts with this department. Using case study examples and actual forms, the learner creates an admission chart, a transfer chart and a discharge chart.

Prerequisites

NUCL 152

Credits

2.50

NUCL156 - Drug Nomenclature

NUCL 156 Drug Nomenclature introduces the learner to the brand name, generic names and actions of some drugs commonly used in the hospital. Six general categories of drugs are covered, including drugs that affect the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, nervous system, gastrointestinal system, hormones and synthetic substitutes, and drugs for the treatment of infectious disease. Information is also given about pharmaceutical preparations, terminology and abbreviations. This course provides the learner with the pharmaceutical knowledge required to process physicians' medication orders.

Prerequisites

NUCL 146

Credits

3.00

NUCL162 - Medication Orders

NUCL 162 Medication Orders introduces the learner to physicians' medication orders and the Nursing Unit Clerk's role in processing medication orders. Information is given about the use of abbreviations and acronyms, the components of a medication order, routes of administration and administration times. The course also introduces the learner to intravenous (IV) therapy, the components of an IV infusion order and the NUC's role in processing IV infusion orders. Actual forms with physician orders are included.

Prerequisites

NUCL 156

Credits

2.00

NUCL164 - Laboratory Orders I

NUCL 164 Laboratory Orders I introduces the learner to five subdivisions within the Laboratory (Lab), the role of the Nursing Unit Clerk (NUC) in processing Lab test orders, and how the NUC interacts with the Lab. Information is given about the various specimens obtained for testing, abbreviations and acronyms used in Lab test orders, and requisitions used for Hematology and Chemistry subdivisions.

Prerequisites

NUCL 146

Credits

2.00

NUCL166 - Laboratory Orders II

NUCL 166 Laboratory Orders II introduces the learner to the Microbiology, Transfusion Services and Pathology subdivisions of the Laboratory (Lab) and the Nursing Unit Clerk's role in processing orders for these subdivisions. Information is given about the use of abbreviations and acronyms, specimens obtained and requisitions used for these subdivisions, and for specimens sent out to British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) and the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) provincial Labs. Actual requisitions and physicians' orders will be used for practice.

Prerequisites

NUCL 164

Credits

2.00

NUCL168 - Diagnostic Orders

NUCL 168 Diagnostic Orders introduces the learner to the diagnostic departments of Diagnostic Imaging, Electrodiagnostics and Pulmonary Laboratory within the hospital and the Nursing Unit Clerk's role in processing diagnostic orders. Information is given about abbreviations and acronyms, requisitions and preparations for diagnostic procedures. Actual requisitions and physicians' orders from the hospital will be used for practice.

Prerequisites

NUCL 146

Credits

2.00

NUCL170 - Medical / Surgical Orders

NUCL 170 Medical / Surgical Orders introduces the learner to admitting, pre-operative (pre-op), discharge and post-operative (post-op) orders and is an accumulation of information learned in previous courses. Information is included about abbreviations and acronyms used for surgical procedures and the Nursing Unit Clerk's role in processing all types of orders. A sampling of actual, typical orders from medical and surgical units is included. The course will assist the learner in reviewing all program information.

Prerequisites

Successful completion of all previous theory courses: NUCL 146, NUCL 152, NUCL 154, NUCL 156, NUCL 162, NUCL 164, NUCL 166, NUCL 168, MTED 100 and MTED 101.

Credits

2.00

NUCL180 - Practicum

NUCL 180 Practicum provides the learner with a consolidated clinical experience where they can apply theory from the Nursing Unit Clerk program. Students work full shifts with an experienced Nursing Unit Clerk.

Prerequisites

Successful completion of all theory courses in the NUC program: NUCL 146, NUCL 152, NUCL 154, NUCL 156, NUCL 162, NUCL 164, NUCL 166, NUCL 168, NUCL 170, MTED 100 and MTED 101.

Credits

4.00

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