Training Topic
The current training format for teaching Clinical Coders in my organisation to perform ICD 10 coding and CPT coding to the correct standard is a 5 day workshop with a test at the end.
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To perform clinical coding, one uses the diagnosis written on the nursing documentation as a starting point and then look up the correct code in a book, according to a set of rules. The learner must know the rules and be able to apply the rules when searching for their code.
I would change the format of the workshop from a 5-day classroom-based solution to an online learning solution, allowing learners to learn at their own speed and also allowing them to ‘test out’ of topics if they already know the content well. Doing this will ensure that learners are involved because they will be able to direct their course content and set their own pace for learning. This approach is in line with the principles of andragogy: Adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction and are most interested in learning subjects that are of immediate relevance and impact to their job and personal life (Pappas:2013). By allowing learners to test out of content they may not find relevant, I am not forcing them to learn content they may not see as relevant.
I would add discussion groups where learners must identify coding scenarios from their own work environment and then work together to apply the rules they have learnt and to look for the correct code. This will allow learners to gain real experience in performing the task of coding a diagnosis and it will also ensure that the learning is problem-centered. This approach is in line with the other two principles of Andragogy, which is that experience provides the basis for learning activities and adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented (Pappas:2013).
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I would also use a similar principle to what is used in this MOOC, whereby a learner is asked to comment on 2 – 3 posts or add 2-3 examples to a discussion and I would ask the learners to complete 2 – 3 practise examples, but I would include 5 – 7 examples to offer them the option for more practise. This will allow learners to decide how much they want to do, depending on their own evaluation of their abilities, they might decide to complete more or less examples, which allows them once again to be in charge of the planning and evaluation of their instruction and also to focus on the activities that are most relevant to them in their jobs, which is in line with the principles of Andragogy.
How I would incorporate andragogy to teach the topic
Sources
Pappas, C (2013) The Adult Learning Theory – Andragogy – of Malcolm Knowles. Retrieved from: https://elearningindustry.com