Promoting understanding of medical decision-making coding for nurse practitioner students

Nurse practitioners (NPs) are often responsible for coding patient encounters for reimbursement. Students should learn the basics of this skill during their educational preparation. On January 1, 2021, the American Medical Association and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented new guidelines to the evaluation and management office appointment documentation and coding. The new medical decision-making (MDM) guidelines created a learning curve for NP students, faculty, and preceptors. An additional obstacle was encountered when on-campus preclinical intensives, which included a coding practice session, were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The faculty of an NP program identified MDM coding as a difficult concept to teach in an asynchronous learning environment. In response, the faculty developed and implemented synchronous online case study sessions that incorporated active student participation and real-time feedback, thus increasing engagement with peers, faculty, and the MDM concepts. The purpose of this article was to present a synchronous method for teaching MDM coding to NP students, and the outcomes, lessons learned, and implications for nursing education and practice.