Overview and Award Outcomes
Overview
The Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) Certificate concentrates on coursework directly related to working on the nursing unit in health care facilities. The Health Unit Coordinator is an important member of the professional health care team. HUC’s provide a crucial role in disseminating communication throughout the nursing unit and assisting the nursing staff by performing non-clinical duties, as directed.
The professional responsibilities of Health Unit Coordinators include answering the telephone and intercom, initiating records for new patients, performing patient admission, transfer and discharge procedures, operating unit equipment, ordering daily diets and laboratory tests, scheduling diagnostic studies, recording patient data for departmental records into the patient’s record and ordering of unit supplies. In the work place, the HUC communicates with various departments within the facility via the telephone, fax machine, pagers, pneumatic tube systems and computers.
This program will consist of an internship at a local health care facility. Required coursework will focus on HUC practices and procedures, health care core concepts, computer operations, communication skills and medical terminology. Graduates are eligible to sit for the National Association of Health Unit Coordinators (NAHUC) certification exam.
Personal qualities considered essential for this occupation are the ability to detail oriented with a high degree of accuracy while managing the workload in a very busy environment. The HUC should be able to solve problems logically and critically, be self-motivated, conscientious and demonstrate good customer service skills. Health Unit Coordinators are expected to protect the confidentiality of patient information, demonstrate a high degree of ethics, and exhibit professionalism.
Prerequisite: Student must achieve a score of 78 or above on the reading assessment test or successfully complete ENGL0921 prior to entering the Health Unit Coordinator Program. A score of 74 or above on the writing test is recommended.
Students are required to maintain a "C" (80%) or above in all Health Unit Coordinator courses to remain in the program.
Award Outcomes
Demonstrate knowledge of medical terms needed to perform job duties
Differentiate between hospital departments
Exhibit professionalism
Utilize computer software effectively
Demonstrate skills and knowledge needed to process physician orders
Demonstrate customer service and telephone etiquette skills
Function as a member of the health care team
Operate unit equipment
Manage clerical duties on the nursing unit
Understand HIPAA and patient confidentiality requirements
Semester Sequence
Offered at Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie
Student must achieve a score of 78 or above on the reading assessment test or successfully complete ENGL0921 prior to entering the Health Unit Coordinator Program. A score of 74 or above on the writing test is recommended.
Students are required to maintain a “C” (80%) or above in all Health Unit Coordinator courses in the program.
Graduation (17 Credits)
Criminal Background Studies:
Minnesota law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with children, patients, and residents at a health or child care facility licensed by the State of Minnesota must have a background study conducted by the state. Individuals with specified felony convictions are prohibited from having direct contact with children, patients, and residents of licensed facilities. Anyone refusing to cooperate in the criminal background study cannot participate in coursework that requires direct contact with children, patients or residents. Students who are disqualified from having direct patient/resident/child contact will not be able to participate in coursework which includes a practical experience. Therefore, completion of coursework for the program major will not be possible without documentation of a cleared background study.
Semester listings reflect the recommended sequence. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the information herein is subject to change without notice.
1/3/2023 : BP 7306 / EP 7307