Nurse Coding Career - Information Needed

[Sarah27]

Hi,

I am an RN-BSN and have been out of school for 5 years now. I did some clinical nursing for my first year out of school in a small doctors office before deciding it wasn't for me. I took a break from nursing for a few years and now would like to try something new where I can still use my degree. I have read some interesting things about nurse coders and think this might be something I would enjoy doing. My questions are:

Which site is the best to get certified?

Do I have to have classes to get certified or can I buy the books, self-study and take the exam?

If I only want basic certification which is the best one to get?

What is the job outlook for this career like? Does anyone on here do this as a career?

I have done hours of research and have found a ton of conflicting information which is why I am now reaching out on allnurses. I hope that some people who are actually in this field of work will reply to this with relevant information.

When looking at jobs I also notice that many won't hire you as a coder unless you have several years of experience. How am I to get experience as a coder if no one will hire me? This goes back to the whole nursing thing - not hiring new grads with no experience - how are we supposed to get experience then? It's just frustrating. So, also trying to figure out how to get around this part of it. Any advice would be appreciated. And because I have posted several threads on here before and have always gotten nasty responses from someone - if you don't have anything nice to say please don't comment on this thread. Thank you.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I recommend you talk to potential employers to find out what they want and expect. You will have to be persistent before you can talk to someone who is kind enough to take the time with you, but they are the only ones who really know the market. Everybody else is trying to sell something. GOOD LUCK

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I joined the local chapter of the American Assoc of Professional Coders because they offer resources I can use in my job even though I am not a coder. Check them out and see what they have to share and network. They do offer training courses but they are much less expensive than the for-profit schools.