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Unit Clerk Basics: How a Hospital Unit Runs
Learn what a unit clerk does at a hospital nursing station in Alberta: admissions and discharges, phones and visitors, booking tests and transport, and planning a shift. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.
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The short version
Free, no payment details
Sign up with your name and e-mail and confirm it with a 6-digit code. There is nothing to buy.
About 60 minutes
5 short lessons and one final quiz. Your progress is saved, so you can stop and come back on any device.
Certificate of completion
Finish every lesson and score 70% or more on the final quiz. Retakes are unlimited.
Not a program
This free short course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program and gives no program credit.
What you will learn
- Describe a hospital unit, the nursing station and the roles on the care team
- List the main unit clerk duties given in the Government of Alberta occupation profile
- Follow checklists for admissions, transfers and discharges and keep the census and room list accurate
- Take and read back a message so it reaches the right nurse or physician
- Build a one-patient timeline that finds conflicts between tests, treatments and transport
- Plan a shift, set priorities and write a handover note that a colleague can act on
Who it is for
Adults who are curious about unit clerk or hospital administrative work in Alberta, and people comparing clinic and hospital office roles. No health care or office experience is needed.
What you need
- A computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection
- No prior health care or clerical experience
- About 60 minutes in total, which you can split across several days
Lessons
- 1The hospital unit and the care team12 min
- 2Admissions, transfers, discharges and the census12 min
- 3Phones, messages and visitors at the nursing station12 min
- 4Coordinating tests, transport and supplies12 min
- 5Working a shift: priorities, handover and self-care12 min
- ✓Unit Clerk Basics: final quizfinal quiz
Where this course can lead
Medical Office Assistant & Unit Clerk Certificate
This course is a short, practical introduction. The full program goes much further: 516 hours online, including a 100-hour practicum: medical terminology, electronic medical records, billing, health privacy and unit clerk work.
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See the course →Frequently asked questions
Yes. The course is free. You create a free account, take the five lessons and the quiz, and there is nothing to pay.
Yes. When you finish the lessons and pass the quiz you receive a certificate of completion from Ucademy. The course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program.
About 60 minutes in total. The five lessons take 10 to 15 minutes each and the quiz has 10 questions. The course is online and self-paced, so you can stop and come back.
No. The lessons begin with what a hospital unit is and explain each term as it appears. You do not need any experience in health care or office work.
According to the Government of Alberta, unit clerks perform reception, clerical and administrative tasks at nursing stations in hospitals and continuing care centres. These include admission and discharge paperwork, scheduling tests, answering phones and directing visitors.
No. It is a free short course, not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program, and it does not give program credit.
Start Unit Clerk Basics: How a Hospital Unit Runs today
Free, online and at your own pace, with a certificate of completion.