nurses expanding out into medical coding

[ccwoodward]

Reading the entries it was refreshing to read similiar career choices. I too am interested in coding opportunities from home as a part time job is it financilally rewarding ? , how long is the program . Is it hard to find a job placement. thanks
cc

[rani_1977]

finally i found a blog that can answer my questions.I want to do a medical coding certificate program in a community college.Is any coder from the state of Massachusetts?.After that ,I want to know which speciality gives better pay as a certified medical coder?.

How are the chances of getting a coder job for those who learned ICD-10 coding(after2013)?Iam not a nursing professional ,but hope to hear from all successful coders.

[oldntiredRN]

If you are still working the inpatient units, my advise is, don't let your nurse manager find out you have a second job. They will take punitive action- either fire you, nit pick and harass to force you to resign, or get you fired from your other job so you can be more accesable to their short staffing needs/whims, or make sure you loose both jobs! Know this from personal experience and know others who this has been done to also. If you are still on the inpatient units and going to school- keep this to yourself also. You will be sabotaged by either asked to do all these availble shifts you never knew existed, if you say no, they will go against you- labeled as not being a "teamplayer" or "unavailable", and end up loosig your job that way. Management has a way of making moron assumptions - that the tuition reinbursement benefit might be being used, and fire you to cut off your tuition. This also happened to me. I made the mistake of telling someone at my former job- I was going to an informational seminar session @ a local college, It must have gotton back to the nurse manager, who reported to the unemployment- that I "might have quit my job(I was infact "termininated" because I had a second job and was not available to them on their calling whims, and have a COBRA papers from these sleez bags @ the hospital that states this in BOLD print) not related to the work" and that "I might be attending school" Just some advise: Keep you extra income ideas to yourself.

[narcissusdd]

I am a multi-certified medical coder. For those of you looking for a school, please find one that is accredited by AAPC or AHIMA (American Academy of Professional Coders, American Health Information Management Association) Thses are the acredidation associations that most employers are familar with.

AAPC certifies coders mostly for physician based practices. AHIMA certifies coders mostly for hospital based providers.

While coding from home is an option, most employers want a certified coder with years of experience. There are many regulations concerning confidentiality of medical records and special security that needs to be in place for a coder to perform coding from a home base. You need the correct, secure computer system and malpractice insurance also.

There are many employers who are accomadating for qualified coders as to hours, full or part time, etc....especially for those who are both credential coders and nurses.

While not a nurse, I did not become a coder until a switch in careers at age 45. I am now in my mid sixties and still love my coding position. There are always new things to learn and keep up with in coding. Codes get updated every year. With the new version of ICD-10 CM/PCS coming soon, there' even more to learn and a need for qualified coders.

Good luck to you all.

Thanks for advice. It's useful for me. Please keep posting like this.
Best rgs

[ril-nurse72]

BWS,
How did you get into coding? Did you take a course, learn on the job, or what? Sounds interesting. . . Thanks,

[hiawatha]

I am interested in this also.

Some tech colleges are now offering Coding for Nurses classes (listed as continuing education).

I'm wondering how easy it would be to actually get a job however.

I wonder if it is like the legal nurse consulting, nurses taking the courses to try to get away from the bedside and then not being able to find work.

I'm sure all these classes are money makers for whoever is giving them.

Who knows?

[hiawatha]

Have been looking for message boards related to the topic, and everything I find is like 3 years old.

Kind of like this site.

[beverlybarnes]

I'm. currently enrolled in AHIMA basic codiing course. What I' m wondering about is if there are any other RNs doing this. I would like to share my feeling and experience with others who are doign a similiar thing. I 'm also interested in hearing from nurses who are currently working as a medical coder.

Thanks

I have been an RN for 40 years and have been thinking of a certificate in billing and coding as I already have the medical courses and years of experience rather than an associates degree in it. Do you find the course taken repetetive of what you know or not?? Interesting in another field of medicine?

[WebbieDebbie]

I have been a Registered Nurse since 1989. For the last 6 years, I have not practiced bedside nursing. For 5 of those years, I was doing Telephone Triage and for the past year I have been doing chart reviews. I have always wanted to do coding but had been talked out of it so decided to go to nursing school. Now, as an older nurse, I am having my chance to do coding and am loving it!!!! It is very challenging and not as easy as it looks. There are many areas of coding and each have different rules.

I do want to become certified and am hoping that "the powers that be" will give us nurses a chance to "enhance" our careers. I recently read online that Connecticut was offering grants to nurses. Perhaps other states will follow at some point.

[berny_]

Hi I'm checking out nonclinical jobs for nurses and wondering about medical coding . How long does it take to get the certification and are there companies that would hire and do on the job training . I don't want to do the training and then not b able to get a job . I'm also wondering about medical writing . Would really like to use that Ba degree and do nonclinical work.

[Brucee]

Medical care plays the main role in quality standards for health care agencies. I am thinking that only Nurses can do those care that training they have.

[RNDIVA]

Learn to learn, continuing education is a lifetime achievement go for it

[edenbisdee7215]

I am very much interested in starting out in medical coding part-time while continuing to work as a Med/Surg nurse. I'm wondering if anyone has done such a natural transition. If anyone has or is considering doing this, please share your feelings asnd insights on this.

In fact this is a tough task when you have to perform various duties and all are of same importance. After such hard work the benefits are endless and you forget the pain you bear in past.

[mdcoder97]

Okay, I realize these posts are from 2008, but thought I would put my two cents worth in. I am a CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) who has worked in an acute hospital setting (Level I Trauma & teaching facility) for over 15 years. I found out about this field while doing a co-op program with my high school, took a coding certificate program at a regional accredited college, got a little experience, sat for the CCS and passed, and the rest is history. I make a little more than $55K/yr currently. I have thought about getting my RN for a salary boost. I'm not sure what the salary for an entry level RN is, but I'm fairly positive it's greater than what I make now....please correct me if I am mistaken. With the implementation of ICD-10-CM in Oct 2014, there will be a great need for coders....credentialed coders. Those coders who are potentially RNs or MSNs along with a CCS would be very high demand. I really wish there were non-clinical RN programs available. I truly am not sure if I have the stomach for the clinical settings I would have to practice in to get the degree. Good luck to those who are pursuing the coding world. It's definitely a challenging career but does enable one to work remotely (I have worked remotely since summer of 2008 & love it!!).

[SaulOpay]

I have a friend doing medical coding, they seem to like it. They say it’s not that stressful or difficult, and he would rather do that any day over any other career.