I am an LPN and have some questions about coding. I have not worked since 2004 and have been on disability. I have sarcoidosis and have been sick off and on over the years. However, I have been stabilized over the last two years. I am ready to return to work. Unfortunately, I have minimal experience. My background is mainly behavioral health. Although, I have worked in geri-psych. We were not a medical facility. But, assessment skills needed to be sharp as to when pt. needed to be seen in ER. I did have a few patients with g-tubes, a colostomy, and trach that I have cared for. And, this was back in 2001-2002. The unit I worked on was great with the teamwork. We were all hand-picked by the director. Unfortunately, they closed the geri unit. And, I just continued to work in adolescents, childrens in acute and residential settings.
I am looking for work that is not going to be very strenuous. And, there are not many opportunites for an LPN with minimal experience. I did not graduate until 1996. I graduated at the age of 39. I tried to work in LTC after I passed boards in 1997. However, I did not last long. I was overwhelmed with the amount of pts. to care for. I only worked PT and was in bed on my days off. So, I quit after two months.
Currently, I am going to my local OVR for career counseling. I feel really bad to totally leave the medical field. I am still paying on loans from nursing school. So, I am checking out coding. I consulted the one school where I graduated from in 1993 with MOA degree. Of course, they are trying to encourage me to get HIT degree. But, I only want the necessary coding classes and get certified. At this school, they have the CPT one quarter and the ICD9 class the next. So, it means that I would have to start the CPT class within two weeks. Also, I need to test out of the anatomy and medical terminology course witha B before I take the coding classes. For one, I am nervous that they would make the A&P test very difficult. I should pass it, but I would need to review and have no clue what to review. And, I would be so embarrassed if I did not pass with a B. And, this school wants $250 a credit. I would be taking 6 credits. I think that is quite expensive. My counselor said that I should receive some financial assistance, but they would not pay for me to get another degree. I should not need another degree. I am already 51. All, I want is the coding and the certification. And, this school does not even offer the certifcation exam. I know there are classes online. However, the OVR would not fund for classes online.
There is another college that offers some coding classes at a satellite campus that is close to me. It starts in June. Their cost is only $203 a credit. So, that's a no-brainer I just need to get more info on that program. I have not talked to anyone personally, yet. I am awaiting a call-back.
Now, my question is what salary can I expect to make as a coder? I was thinking that eventually that I would like to find a job that would let me do some work from home.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
the first job is going to be the hardest to get. this field is not like nursing where employers are waiting for the new nurses coming out of schools with open arms. you will have to look and look for a job. often, you will need to demonstrate your skill before being hired by taking a coding test and passing it with a 95% score or above. there is considerable training involved when you get your first job. i was in training for 9 months with my first job because they were so terrified of medicare and wanted their coders to learn to code precisely when it come to medicare. as i mentioned before, fraud is a big thing that reputable people in this field do not want to get involved in and mistakes in coding are called fraud and punishable with huge fines. these were physician coders. hospital coder jobs are harder to find and involve just as much on-the-job training because of the statistical analysis that goes with the job.
atomicwoman. . .physician coder jobs are more plentiful, but be careful with what the doc you work for allows the coders to get away with. it is often the docs in private practice that are trying to cut corners and end up getting caught for fraud because they are trying to figure out creative ways to add as much money as possible to their cash registers. my coding class sent us to a medicare site that publishes the list of professional providers who try to do this and got caught. the coders hang along with the docs as well.
atomicwoman. . .physician coder jobs are more plentiful.
ditto this! rns seems to be a better fit for the physican coder positions, too, because they are more procedure based. the company i work for sends its nurses through aapc training & certification (cpc.)
For those of you who are already coders, would you say there is more demand for inpatient/hospital coders, or outpatient/physician coders? I'm talking strictly in numbers of jobs, although if you have any salary insight, I'd love to hear that, too.
The RN market is getting tight around here, and I was looking into coding as something else I can get certified in once I am done nursing school, to make me more marketable. I want to thank everyone who's been so generous in explaining this market. :)
The actual demand I cannot speak of. But I can say the jobs that pay more are the inpatient abstracting coding jobs. Get your inpatient certification and training, it will benefit you more as you are already an RN and you are more likely to be able to work from home.
I just found this forum and I am excited to meet other RNs interested in coding. I need to get away from bedside care due to illness and weakened immune system. I found that my community hospital offers coding classes. The cost is $800.00 plus $209.00 for the books. This is a Monday ( 5-8) and Thurs (5-8) class that is 14 weeks long. I love working in health care!
I am hoping this opens a door to a different approach to health care. My dream would be to work from home and still have benefits. I hope this becomes reality and not just a dream. I would love feedback as to what others are doing in the coding industry.
I found that my community hospital offers coding classes. The cost is $800.00 plus $209.00 for the books. This is a Monday ( 5-8) and Thurs (5-8) class that is 14 weeks long. I love working in health care!
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
the first job is going to be the hardest to get. this field is not like nursing where employers are waiting for the new nurses coming out of schools with open arms. you will have to look and look for a job. often, you will need to demonstrate your skill before being hired by taking a coding test and passing it with a 95% score or above. there is considerable training involved when you get your first job. i was in training for 9 months with my first job because they were so terrified of medicare and wanted their coders to learn to code precisely when it come to medicare. as i mentioned before, fraud is a big thing that reputable people in this field do not want to get involved in and mistakes in coding are called fraud and punishable with huge fines. these were physician coders. hospital coder jobs are harder to find and involve just as much on-the-job training because of the statistical analysis that goes with the job.
atomicwoman. . .physician coder jobs are more plentiful, but be careful with what the doc you work for allows the coders to get away with. it is often the docs in private practice that are trying to cut corners and end up getting caught for fraud because they are trying to figure out creative ways to add as much money as possible to their cash registers. my coding class sent us to a medicare site that publishes the list of professional providers who try to do this and got caught. the coders hang along with the docs as well.