CCDS update: 1,000th CDI professional passes CCDS exam

by Beth Soule, RN, MSN, CCDS

After being in the CDI field a little over a year, I ordered The CCDS Exam Study Guide and signed up to take the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) exam. I remember wondering if my seven years as a case manager or my clinical experience as a cardiothoracic surgery and ICU nurse would help me pass the exam. I also wondered if my career as a heart transplant coordinator at Duke University Medical Center would be helpful, too.

As I continued to contemplate scheduling the exam date, my thoughts wandered to my favorite vacation spot on the N.C. Outer Banks on Ocracoke Island and other things I enjoy doing like playing with my five cats, listening to  audiobooks, watching movies with my husband, lounging with an excellent cup of coffee, or cooking my favorite meal of spaghetti and garlic bread.

I grounded myself by remembering why I chose to become a CDI specialist—to improve my understanding of the reimbursement and compliance side of healthcare, and to tackle the challenge of starting a new program. I love a challenge! So why was I hesitating about my exam date?

At work, my colleague would question me daily on my studying efforts and exam prep progress. “Go ahead and take
the test,” they prompted. Their comments rang louder with each passing day. So, finally, I scheduled the exam date for
the following week.

In the meantime, I studied.

Taking the exam took all of the three hours allotted. I was down to answering the last two questions in the final seconds. But I found that the questions validated my everyday work routines, our report analysis process, and echoed the information in sources I frequently refer to for additional information.

On leaving the testing center I was again lost in thought. Only this time my thoughts were, “Wow! I passed!” It is truly an awesome reward to be a nurse stepping into a new specialty, which allows me to learn something new every single day. My case management colleagues comment almost daily that I have found my nursing niche. Certification solidifies  current best practice and adds credibility to my daily efforts and to the field as a whole. So what are you waiting for? Take the test!

Editor’s Note: Soule, at the time of this article's original release, was a clinical documentation analyst at Duke Raleigh (N.C.) Hospital. In September, she became the 1,000th person to pass the CCDS exam. This article first published in the October edition of the CDI Journal.