Our student of the month for February is Sweta Naik from Ferny Hills in Queensland. Sweta scored 96% for clinical coding and is due to complete the 22274VIC Certificate IV in Clinical Classification very soon.
We asked Sweta the following questions.
What led you to enrol in our entry level course?
I am a qualified nurse but enjoyed working on more analytical work preferably on computers. For this reason, I worked with a health insurance company for nearly 3 years. While I worked with them, I absolutely enjoyed looking through various medical records and researching the different lines of treatment patients received. After arriving in Australia, I thought of coding as a career path but because I needed to be qualified which would take 2 years I started working in outside school hours care and started on the coding course part time.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
The course is paced well for a part time course. I enjoyed looking at medical records again and analysing them. I enjoyed learning how to apply ICD-10-AM, ACHI and the importance of the use of ACS. Most of all I enjoyed the interaction, knowledge and support the team at HIMAA brings to their students. Every time I felt like I needed help I just needed to ask and the staff went beyond my expectations to help me.
Why did you choose clinical coding as a career pathway?
With time I have realised that the medical terminology knowledge I have can be used really well in the context of clinical coding. It also makes me feel like I can have a small impact as I will be back in the healthcare industry, which is where I have always wanted to be. This may not necessarily translate as a nurse who provides direct patient care but as someone who is doing the work in the background for the patients.
If you would like to contact Sweta please email education@himaa.org.au or phone 02 9887 5898