Note from the Instructor: Take personal responsibility for professional advancement
By Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP
It has been 10 years since I turned the focus of my career to the practice of CDI. About a year ago, I found myself calling it a “profession.” I have been a proud member of the nursing profession for more than 30 years. In both my personal and professional life, I tried my best to represent my profession and demonstrate that nurses are highly competent, knowledgeable leaders in providing healthcare to patients. Nurses have been granted the privilege of witnessing and assisting others in their most intimate moments of life.
I never wanted to minimize the role of a nurse, nor misrepresent it in any way. I feel very much the same about the profession of CDI. We serve a very important role in our organizations in that we work to ensure our patient’s stories are told accurately and completely.
The profession of CDI encompasses a number of different titles, credentials and professions besides nursing, to include medicine and coding. And I am sure no matter how a person landed in CDI they too are as proud of their specific profession that started them off as I am of my nursing background. And I am sure, too, that most are also proud of the fact they are now a member of the CDI profession. (Read the recently released “CDI: More than a credential,” position paper from the ACDIS Advisory Board.)
Google the word profession and the definitions returned are all similar. Most state that a profession describes an occupation requiring specialized education, knowledge, training, and ethics. Members of a profession are expected to meet and maintain a common set of standards. Skills and knowledge are obtained through the process of lifelong learning and continuing professional development. Indeed, the ACDIS Code of Ethics reinforces that commitment to lifelong learning.
I was always taught that a profession must have a developed body of knowledge. The ACDIS Code of Ethics addresses this as well with the statement, “Clinical Documentation Improvement Professionals must advance their specialty knowledge and practice through continuing education, research, publications, and presentations.” It is up to each and every one of us to grow our body of knowledge.
So my question to you is—what have you done lately to represent your profession?
We all need to be leaders. That does not mean you have to speak at the national conference, or write articles and books, but it could mean becoming a leader within your own hospital organization or helping with your local ACDIS chapter.
When I was working daily in the CDI role, I spread the word of CDI in an activity I called the “CDI Road Show.” I took the road show to anyone, any department that invited me. (And even to some that did not extend an invitation!) I wanted everyone to know what we did because their support of those efforts could help foster our success.
I wanted to represent my profession well; meaning I tried to demonstrate competence, knowledge, and commitment to ethical practice in every activity and exchange performed. This commitment was as much for myself as it was for all the CDI specialists I worked with. If I presented as well prepared and knowledgeable to a provider, the next time that provider spoke to another team member he or she would understand the skills our CDI team brings to the game. If I could speak concisely to administration and communicate both the value of CDI and the needed resources, the administrative team would see all CDI staff as professionals, too.
And so, I encourage you to step up. Volunteer to serve on a committee. Start a “road show” of your own. Mentor a new CDI. Learn something new today.
Most importantly, walk strong and tall and demonstrate to the world the CDI professional that you are.
Editor’s Note: Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP, is a CDI Education Specialist at HCPro in Danvers, Massachusetts. Contact her at lprescott@hcpro.com. For information regarding CDI Boot Camps visit www.hcprobootcamps.com/courses/10040/overview.