What does a Ward Clerk do in a hospital?
/ Blog
Have you ever stumbled about an endless maze of hospital corridors looking for a loved one? If you have, you must know how disorienting it all is, the signs, the swinging doors and the corridors leading every which way.
The lines on the floor, different coloured lines that some hospitals have to help visitors find their way to the right ward and not the hospital kitchen. So you follow a line, a blue one, for three miles in the vague hope it leads to your loved one’s broken ankle and you end up in maternity.
Then, as you stumble out of there you happen upon an oasis. A desk, long and sleek, a desk manned and womaned by efficient looking people; people with computers and name tags around their necks.
A ward desk.
Better still, well organised, orderly ward clerks. No sooner have they asked you a few questions and twiddled a few keys, they have found the exact location of your loved one’s broken foot and put you in touch with not only the foot, but the thankful smile at the other end.
That, in its simplest form, is the primary role of a Ward Clerk.
What do Ward Clerks do?
A hospital Ward Clerk’s duties are varied. Overall, they provide general administrative, clerical and support services for the medical or surgical ward, the ICU or an emergency department.
Let’s find out what a Ward Clerk’s duties are in detail.
- A Ward Clerk ensures that all medical records, lab reports, patient records are properly completed, secured and readily available to doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers. This includes maintaining both paper-based systems as well as available information technologies.
- Ward Clerks help run the hospital smoothly. That means remaining calm and working efficiently even in emergency situations. It requires being the cool-headed traffic controller when it feels like rush hour in the CBD.
- As a Ward Clerk, you will answer phones, organise and maintain patient records, and update general patient medical data such as diagnosis information, temperature, pulse and blood pressure. You’re also the go to person for requisition forms if patients need lab tests or medicines. They are required to do their work efficiently and in compliance with hospital policies and procedures.
- As a Ward Clerk, you would know exactly who is in which bed and in which room on your ward. So anyone seeking assistance or looking for a loved one can be taken directly to them without fuss or stress. Ward Clerks may also transcribe and enter orders and notes for the hospital staff.
- You will also be on top of all the important little personal touches that make hospital stays more bearable for patients and guests, ensuring flowers, gifts, and messages are delivered with speed and a smile.
How much does a ward clerk make?
A Ward Clerk’s salary in Australia ranges anywhere between $42,000 to $60,000 a year (Payscale, 2018) As a hospital Ward Clerk you may earn between $20 and $29 per hour depending on your qualifications and experience.
How to become a Ward Clerk?
Getting a qualification for the HLT37315 Certificate III in Health Administration course will prepare you to apply for the position of a Ward Clerk, an Admissions Clerk or a Health Administrative Worker. Foundation Education also offers a range of other nationally recognised, comprehensive health courses.
