Questions for a Clinical Documentation Specialist

[carebear01, BSN, RN]

I’m thinking of applying for a Clinical Documentation Specialist at the hospital I work (700+ beds). I have almost 13 years experience (med-surg, trauma and inpatient rehab). The position is 10 hour shifts (day) twice a week in the ED. No weekends, no holidays, flexible schedule. I desperately need to get away from bedside nursing and I am very interested in learning something new. So I have a couple of questions for those who work as a Clinical Documentation Specialist...

1. By ‘flexible schedule’, do you think that means that I would be able to come into work at 9:00 one day then maybe 10:00 the next, as long as I am clocking in my 10 hours? I know that this is a question more suited for my interviewer, however, I just want to get an idea beforehand.

2. How do you communicate with the physicians if you have questions regarding documentation? If it through the same channels that a bedside nurse would use to call a physician regarding an abnormal lab?

3. Is there any public speaking involved in your position ie formally presenting information to a group of doctors

4. What do you like about being a Clinical Documentation Specialist? What do you dislike?

I’m really nervous about applying since I have never stepped outside of the bedside but I really need to take the chance and try something new.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

23 hours ago, carebear01 said:

I’m thinking of applying for a Clinical Documentation Specialist at the hospital I work (700+ beds). I have almost 13 years experience (med-surg, trauma and inpatient rehab). The position is 10 hour shifts (day) twice a week in the ED. No weekends, no holidays, flexible schedule. I desperately need to get away from bedside nursing and I am very interested in learning something new. So I have a couple of questions for those who work as a Clinical Documentation Specialist...

1. By ‘flexible schedule’, do you think that means that I would be able to come into work at 9:00 one day then maybe 10:00 the next, as long as I am clocking in my 10 hours? I know that this is a question more suited for my interviewer, however, I just want to get an idea beforehand.

2. How do you communicate with the physicians if you have questions regarding documentation? If it through the same channels that a bedside nurse would use to call a physician regarding an abnormal lab?

3. Is there any public speaking involved in your position ie formally presenting information to a group of doctors

4. What do you like about being a Clinical Documentation Specialist? What do you dislike?

I’m really nervous about applying since I have never stepped outside of the bedside but I really need to take the chance and try something new.

This are good questions to ask during an interview.

My interpretation of "flexible schedule" would be that you can work whichever day of the week you want and that there might be flexibility to flex your hours to avoid major traffic or accommodate having to get kids to school.

Speaking to the physicians will depend on the facility and how they communicate. I would expect you or others in your role would be involved in the onboarding of new docs to help them learn the documentation requirements, but honestly I do not know. I don't work as a Clinical Documentation Specialist, but I have worked with them when I was in an informatics position.