CCDS update: Meet Jami Coler, our 4,000th CCDS
Here in the CCDS office, we’ve been counting up to a milestone—waiting to see who would be the 4,000th person to earn the Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) credential. It happened last Thursday when the exam proctor handed Jami Coler of Defiance, Ohio, her score report.
Coler is proud to have passed her exam but more excited to get my call telling her she holds a milestone credential number.
“I knew I wanted to be a nurse when I was a child,” she says. “That never wavered.”
She has been a nurse for 20 years, joking, “I don’t know how that’s possible since I’m only 25!”
Coler began her CDI journey in a small hospital as the only CDI staffer and pioneered the program.
“I built strong relationships with the physicians, and enjoyed the education aspect of the work,” she said.
She moved to Ensemble Health Partners where she is part of a larger CDI program, and still enjoys physician-relations and education.
“Every day is something new,” Coler says. “We have to figure what they are treating by what they aren’t telling us. It’s a challenge to be an extreme puzzle solver.”
Coler, married 20 years this year, has three children including an 18-year old son who suffers a heart condition. Coler has been his personal nurse through his three open heart surgeries. He is doing well, says Coler. She also Her 14-year old daughter and 10-year old son round out the family.
When she’s not working Coler can likely be found “sitting in a bag chair at a sporting event” cheering her children on.
We’re proud of her and all the now 4,000-plus CCDS holders, for their contributions to excellence in patient care and their passion in pursuit of recognition of their profession. And we look forward to finding our next milestone credential holder. Will it be you?
Editor’s note: If you’re interested in learning more about the CCDS certification, visit the certification pages on the ACDIS website. If you’re new to CDI, check out the ACDIS CDI Apprenticeship program.