Legal Secretary II

Legal Secretary II

Positions in this job family are assigned responsibilities for providing secretarial and administrative support to nurse investigators and attorneys. Duties may also include tracking pending investigative cases; secretarial assistance to opening and closing investigative cases; preparation of department statistical reports and training of Level I employees.

• Provides secretarial and administrative support for nurse investigators and attorneys; composes and prepares various legal documents and forms;
• Independently researches, locates and assembles legal materials for working files used in docketing cases or information and data for administrative board or consideration and action; gathers agency data and documents to support various pleadings filed in different courts; develops and maintains files on research sources;
• Maintains confidential legal files and hard copy or electronic records.
• Assists attorneys and nurse investigators in ensuring that deadlines are met for filing various court actions; files orders, judgments, pleadings, briefs and other documents on behalf of division staff;
• Plans, organizes and coordinates secretarial support for nurse investigators and attorneys, general counsel or other legal staff;
• Operates a variety of modern office equipment; screens phone calls and receives visitors; provides information or refers to appropriate official; opens, reviews and distributes mail; disposes of routine matters; prepares correspondence for supervisor's signature.
• Ensures timelines are met for various department actions.
• Prepares assigned pre- and/or post-Board documents for approval by RN Investigative staff and completes other pre/post Board functions as designated.
• Maintains confidentiality of investigative information at all times.
• Conveys a positive and professional image for the Agency in interaction with applicants, licensees, other state agencies and co-workers.
• Performs related work as required.

This is the career level where employees will be expected to perform duties at all levels of complexity.

Education and Experience requirements at this level consist of three years of experience performing a variety of complex clerical and typing work PLUS one year of experience as a legal secretary; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of guidelines related to the preparation and filing of various legal documents and forms; of business communications; of legal terms and definitions; of business English; of office procedures; of business arithmetic; of training principles and practices; and of public relations. Ability is required to establish effective working relationships with others; to type accurately from plain copy at a rate of fifty words per minute; to prepare complex legal documents and forms; to deal with the public; to handle confidential work with tact and discretion; to exercise judgment in interpreting and applying rules or policy; to follow oral and written instructions; to operate standard office equipment; and to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Ability is required to perform the typical functions of this job family with minimal supervision.

Some positions may require that applicants be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with the position. Some positions may require possession of a valid Oklahoma Commercial driver's license with appropriate endorsements referred to in the United States Department of Transportation Title 47, Chapter 6, Section 101 et seq. at the time of appointment. Some positions may require performing moderately heavy lifting or other manual tasks. Upon a conditional offer of employment, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services applicants must submit to a physical examination and shall meet the physical examination requirements of occasionally lifting/carrying 80 pounds, 25 pounds frequently, able to push and pull a maximum force of 40 pounds and able to lift and hold overhead up to 40 pounds. Some positions may require training or experience in a specific field of construction or maintenance work. Some agencies may have determined positions in this job family to be safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. § 427.8.

Compliance Monitoring:

[Compliance monitoring involves the oversight of nurses/AUAs placed on probation by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing (Board) or who have conditions to be met, in collaboration with and under direction of a nurse investigator.]

1. Receive and record self-assessment, counseling, probation officer, support group, nursing practice and drug screen reports as well as any additional requirements of their probation/conditions with the Board.

2. Communicate by telephone and mail with probationary nurses, employers, counselors, laboratories, probation officers and physicians concerning probationary terms of Board Orders or problems. Maintain documentation log of communications.

3. Refer calls to nurse investigator that are complex and require interpretation beyond the Secretary level. Document and inform nurse investigator immediately of potential violations of probation.

4. Prepare and mail Supervised Practice forms to employers and Probation Officers Report forms to probation officers for completion.

5. Review drug screen reports for compliance with the criteria developed by the Board. Inform the nurse investigator if they do not meet criteria and initiate action as directed by the nurse investigator.

6. Review reports submitted. Give all reports to nurse investigator for review and to verify that guidelines are being met. Communicate with nurses as directed by the nurse investigator.

7. Update the compliance status in the database by the established date following Board meetings.

8. Provide nurse investigators with a list of nurses/AUAs who are ready to terminate their probation prior to each Board meeting.

9. Post address changes of probationary nurses/AUAs to the database.

10. Provide monthly list of reports not received and keep monitoring of compliance updated weekly.

11. Prepare Show Cause Orders for nurse investigator as directed.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.