Hospital Departments
Hospitals contain a variety of departments and each plays a specific role in the delivery of health care. As the communications coordinator for the nursing unit, the NUC must be familiar with each department (dept.), the role each one plays and the ways the nursing unit interacts with these departments. The following list provides examples of hospital departments and a brief explanation of their responsibilities:
Admitting | obtain patient information for admission |
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Health Records | store records of past admissions |
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Rehabilitative Medicine | provide rehabilitative patient care |
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Social Services | provide patient support services |
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Laboratory (Lab) | perform testing on specimens (blood, urine, etc.) |
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Diagnostics | perform diagnostic tests (x-rays, CT scans, etc.) |
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Pharmacy | supply patient's prescribed medications |
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Dietary | provide food services |
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Environmental Services/Housekeeping | perform cleaning duties |
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Laundry | wash and supply clean linens |
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Materials Management/Stores | order and stock all supplies |
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Central Sterile Supply Room (CSSR) | sterilize instruments and supplies |
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Computer Services/Information Technology (IT) | maintain computer information systems |
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Maintenance/Engineering | maintain plant and equipment |
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Staffing Office | arrange staffing schedules; call in relief staff |
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Human Resources (HR) | manage staff records and hiring |
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Business Office | manage all financial matters and billing |
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Administration | management personnel |
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Auxiliary/Volunteers | perform various, non-nursing duties to assist staff, patients and visitors |
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