When you are hired as registrar at a hospital, you don't know exactly what to expect. The job was explained to you as being clerical in nature with required skills such as data entry, collecting billing and insurance information, and keeping hospital demographic records. However, there is much more to working in a hospital than any job description will tell you. You may think you are just an office employee, but the expectations are much higher. Here is what you may not know about your new job as a registrar.

You Will Have To Learn CPR

Nearly every employee working in a hospital is required to learn CPR. Because a hospital registrar is in direct contact with patients, CPR training is a must. 

The hospital does not want a patient who has stopped breathing to have to wait for you to call for help because you do not know what to do. In such a situation, you could either try to act and do more harm than good, or not act at all and leave the patient waiting for assistance. Neither of those options are good.

Most hospitals will provide you with in-house CPR training. Some classes are even done completely individually using a computer-based learning program and a simulated person that you perform your practice exercises on. While you likely will never have to use your CPR training on the job, it is better you have the skill and not need it, than need it and not have it.

You Will Need to Be Familiar with Defibrillators

A defibrillator is a device that most people would recognize. It is an electronic device that consist of a generator and two paddles. When a patient is in cardiac arrest, the paddles are placed on the chest and rib cage, and the machine sends a controlled shock to the person's heart. This is meant to start the heart beating again.

As a registrar you will not be required to use a defibrillator on a normal basis. However, you will get trained in the proper use of an AED (automated external defibrillator). This is a portable defibrillator that will be placed in strategic places around the hospital. If you find a person in the hallways or waiting room that has no heartbeat, you may need to use this device before additional help can arrive.

The good thing about AED's is that they have voice commands that instruct you on what to do as you do it. So even if you forget your training, all you need to do is find the "on" button and you will get reminders from there.

Do not let your AED training intimidate you, the likelihood of a patient suffering cardiac arrest in a hospital with no medical professionals nearby is unlikely. Your employer just wants to ensure that staff is ready just in case. You can learn more about defibrillators through resources such as Halifax Heart Center.

You Will See More Than You Bargained For

You may think that just because you are working a clerical job that you will not be privy to the medical aspects of working in a hospital. This is most definitely not the case. Sick and injured patients can and will make a mess of your desk and possibly even you if you are unlucky. So, if the sight of blood, vomit, and other bodily fluids is a problem for you, you may want to reconsider your choice of employers.

While you will not have to come into physical contact with patients or any of the messes they make, it can happen. And at the very least you will see it. So prepare yourself and make sure you have a good game face. The last thing you want to do is look disgusted with a patient.

While being a hospital registrar is largely a clerical position, you will be required to have some basic first aid training. Do not let the CPR or AED training scare you off from your new job. You likely will not ever need to use those skills in the workplace, but should the situation occur, you will be glad for your training.