Ward clerks are responsible for a variety of clerical and administrative duties related to patient care in a clinic or hospital ward. Tasks performed by the ward clerk include greeting patients, answering phone calls, handling general inquiries, gathering test results and other lab reports, and directing results and reports to the appropriate medical staff member. Ward clerks also retrieve medication and distribute it to the proper caregivers, and they may retrieve blood products or equipment from other departments as needed. Under the supervision of their medical staff supervisor (such as a charge nurse or clinic manager), they update medical records as needed. Ward clerks transcribe verbal orders and complete request forms for tests and referrals to other departments when ordered by medical professionals. Additionally, they direct visitors to appropriate departments and deliver patient mail.
Ward clerks work full time in a hospital or clinical setting. Due to the nature of the position, clerks may be required to work any shift (which may include evenings, overnights, and weekends), as hospitals and clinics frequently operate 24 hours a day. This may include on-call hours in addition to regularly scheduled time. The majority of the ward clerk's time is spent assisting medical personnel, maintaining and updating ward supplies and records, greeting patients, and answering phone calls.
Ward clerks generally must hold a high school diploma or equ