Home     Contact Us    
Main Board Job Seeker's Board Job Wanted Board Resume Bank Company Board Word Help Medquist New MTs Classifieds Offshore Concerns VR/Speech Recognition Tech Help Coding/Medical Billing
Gab Board Politics Comedy Stop Health Issues
ADVERTISEMENT




Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

I've owned cheaper chairs and learned the hard way.

Posted By: sm on 2008-02-21
In Reply to: I got mine at Office Depot for $100 sm - shipaddict

The old saying that you get what you pay for is true when it comes to these cheap chairs! My back always hurt and I was having to buy a new chair at least yearly. You do the math; I've already had the $1000 chair five years and I quit having the backaches five years ago. This chair is no where close to wearing out and will last me at least another five years, probably more. So, if you think that spending $200 every year on a cheap chair is worth it, you go right ahead; I didn't hear anything but thanks for the OP for my suggestion.




Complete Discussion Below: marks the location of current message within thread

The messages you are viewing are archived/old.
To view latest messages and participate in discussions, select the boards given in left menu


Other related messages found in our database

A lot cheaper to do it yourself and not hard at all- sm
print out the manual on your computer on installing/removing memory. It is so simple and takes less than 5 minutes to do. I have done it many times. Memory is relatively cheap these days and probably shouldn't cost more than $100 (shop around on-line); so $40 for 5 minutes of work by the computer geek is not a bad racket.
Yep, learned that the hard way, but then when I
told them I was looking things changed and now I'm down from about 95% ESL to about 60% and for the most part they aren't horrible. 
Learned the hard way
I am one of those editors who can't just let a blank go unless I have spent at least 10 minutes trying to research it. Of course, if the dictation is just not clear, then a blank is the way to go. I found at my last job, though, that I was spending too much time on correcting grammar - quite a stickler for that - but the company wanted a much quicker turnaround, even if the report looked like it was typed by a third grader (my opinion) lol.
I've been doing this doc for many years, so I've learned how to function with him. sm
I can tell what's a stutter, what's another word, what's just an "uh." Years of experience will get you through a lot.
Wouldn't want to do his charts all day, of course, but a few per day aren't bad. I haven't had to send his to review in a long time, but they do take a little longer to shuffle through.
Oh one more thing..if your traveling and staying at hotels, plan ahead. I learned the hard way.

A hotel that states they have "internet access" does not necessarily have it in your room. A lot of them have what they call a "business" center where they have like a community computer to share with other guests or to have access on your laptop you need to sit in that room. I dont know about you but I dont feel like dragging out all of my equipment and sitting in a lobby somewhere to work. Double check that they have internet access available in your room.. and be forewarned that most chart for wireless internet access like maybe $10-12 for a 24-hour period. We just got back from Vegas, and to me, it was worth that fee for a whole 24 hours. I got the most work I could out of it.


I have a desktop Dell and it has been alright so far, but I've never owned a laptop.
What brand are you currently using then?
From what I've learned from...
doing psych reports, people rarely have MPD unless they've been abused horribly.  First off, I wouldn't blame this poor child.  Her life has obviously been unstable and erratic, no thanks to her parents.  I type it time and time again.... Kids are brought in and labeled with all sorts of conditions, ADHD, oppositional defiance disorder, OCD, you name it.  And WITHOUT FAIL when the doctor gets down to the social history, the child comes from some sort of broken erratic unstable home.  The parents don't create a nurturing environment for their child, parade boyfriends and girlfriends in and out of their lives, and then the poor child is labeled with a dozen diagnoses.  Sounds to me like this poor child has been abused, which isn't very far fetched if a mother is recycling boyfriends.  I'd contact a local psychiatrist and start from there.   I wouldn't take one person's word that the child wasn't abused.  Even if she is lying, she's doing it for some reason.
Yes, several times. I've learned to listen to them. (s/m)
A very long time ago, I once had a dream that my dog got hit by a car - the exact time, place, etc. And exactly one week later, to the day, place and hour, she got hit & killed by a car.

Another time I was driving on the freeway, and suddenly in my mind got a very clear picture of a pickup truck on fire. Yet there was no truck on fire where I was, and no smoke or anything. About 10 miles up there road, I came around a bend and there was a truck exactly like the one I'd seen in my "mind-flash", and it was on fire.

Go figure, but yes, I definitely DO go with my hunches and premonitions.
Previous posters are 100% correct. Here's what I've learned...
There have been a lot of very good points brought out here, and I encourage you to consider the advice that has been offered and think this over very, very carefully before making a decision.

I've been in this business since 1996. I went to school (with 3 small children at home), studied at 4 a.m., maintained another full-time job, earned a 4.0, was lucky enough to get a part-time job in MT before I even graduated. I excelled at MT, loved the work and have worked my way up to the top. It has been a lucrative career for me and I've had the chance to stay at home with my kids while they were young (and I still work at home and enjoy being here for my junior high and high school age kids.)

HOWEVER, times have changed. I'm an MT instructor at a local college. We made the decision to drop the MT program because we simply cannot place new grads. I don't care how smart you are, how good your grades are, how much potential you have or how motivated you are--it's very, very difficult, if not impossible, to get a job working at home as a new grad. (Finding a job in a clinic is a little easier, but still difficult.)

If you are one of the few who are lucky enough to find a job working at home as a new grad, you will make next to nothing for at least the first year. New grads are NOT prepared to meet production quotas, they still need mentoring, and they still have a tremendous amount to learn. Most jobs, especially working at home jobs, are production based. As a new grad you will spend most of your time researching, and your production will be minimal; therefore, so will your salary. In addition, most work-at-home jobs have production quotas. Meeting a quota when you are still in the learning phase leads to a tremendous amount of pressure, which in turn, leads to frustration and is not conducive to learning and retaining information.

My first boss (the one who hired me as a new grad) gave me some words of wisdom that I haven't forgotten. She said that transcribing at home with small children NEVER works under any circumstance. Either the work will suffer or the parenting will suffer. I, of course, thought I would be the exception. (My kids were age 2, 4, and 9 at the time.) She had 25 years of experience as an MT and as an MTSO owner, and she was absolutely right. I learned quickly that I could be successful working PART-TIME with small children, but trying to do it full-time defeated the purpose. When you are transcribing, you may be physically "at home," but if you are doing a good job, your mind is tuned in to your work, not your kids. Constant interruptions lead to low production, errors, and huge frustration. I found that I could work a few hours in the early morning before they woke up, fit in a few hours throughout the day and finish up late at night after they were in bed. I was in a position at that time not to need a full-time income, so this was a nice compromise, and it prepared me for full-time work later on when they were all in school. I consider that period of time an extension of my training.

Like another poster said, I do not want to rain on your parade, but tuition is not cheap. (I'm STILL paying off a student loan.) Additionally, MT is not an "easy" curriculum to learn, and it takes a certain skill set and personality type in order to excel and succeed. You will invest a lot of time, money, and effort just in the process of completing your training. It may or may not be worth it in the long run. Career college admissions reps are paid on a commission basis; therefore, they don't always give you the "rest of the story." Those of us who have posted here today are trying to give you "the rest of the story," and our intention is not to discourage you but rather to give you an accurate picture of what MT is truly like, not what the admissions counselor might have told you.

If you do decide to go forward, go with your eyes wide open. I would also encourage you to find a mentor who can advise you along the way.
One thing I've learned in life is it's impossible to
stand up for themselves. Maybe only 1 in 100 will even try. Sad to say, but we've brought a lot of this onto ourselves.
At one time I would have let it slide, but now I've learned I can't afford it or
nm
I've tried this before but it was WAY too hard for me.
Yeah, it sounded too good to be true. I wonder if the doctor has to train the software or if a Transcriptionist can train it.
U guys R awesome! Thanx for the laffs. I've had a hard day!

I've got my fingers crossed; makes it hard to type!nm
//
I've lost more than one hard drive on Dell computers
That's the message you get normally if the hard drive if fried.  I just called Dell and they diagnosed the problem and sent me a new hard drive and I returned the bad one. Is yours still under warranty?
Never learned it? Hah! I learned it and still didn't like it.

Chairs!
Need opinions on Steelcase Leap Chair. Please. Thank you.
Chairs

Hello,


I would not reccomend sitting on a ball for the whole day. I know there has been a lot of hype around using exercise balls as seating but it actually causes stress on your back rather then creating "good posture". Also, it is not natural for the back to be in constant "good posture". The besy posture is to constantly re-position to create movement and comfort in the spinal cord.


Yes the Aeron chair is expensive but a great chair. I work at Herman Miller so I'm lucky enough to sit in one all day. You can get a base Aeron for around $600CAD. Not everyone needs all of the add on features which brings up the price.


I'm not a big fan of the foam and fabric chairs because they tend to trap dust, dirty easily and can smell over time. I also don't like that foam and fabric chairs don't breathe.


If any of you are looking for an Aeron or any other herman miller product, feel free to e-mail me and I can quote it out for you. shannon_fitzpatrick@hermanmiller.com


Take care,


 


Shannon


Mesh chairs??
Was wondering about the new mesh chairs, has anyone tried one? Pillow doesn't help, have tried that. I've got some serious saddle sores from sitting all day.
Mesh chairs
Herman Miller Aeron Chair, wouldn't work without it, changed my working comfort completely, no sore butt and no back pain.
Comfortable Chairs?
Anyone have any ideas for comfortable chairs, affordable comfortable chairs? I've been looking for a good chair and can't seem to find one.
Suggestions for chairs?? sm

I'm trying to find a chair that is comfortable all day (and sometimes part of the night) long.  I know some of you here have had the same problem.  Suggestions, please??? 


Thanks! 


Most comfortable chairs.

Okay.  So, I have gone through two chairs trying to find a truly comfortable one and I am just not having any luck.  I believe because I am constantly trying to adjust myself to get comfortable in my chair, it affects my productivity.  My rear end starts to hurt and my tailbone will get sore when I shift.   I am just so tired for the search for a comfy chair.  So, would you all mind sharing with me a fairly economical comfortable chair preference? 


Thank you so much,


If it rains hard, the wind blows hard and there are trees
nearby, it snows heavily it will mess up the signal.  The speed is not constant, sometimes as slow as dial-up, but at least still connected.  Many companies will not allow satellite. 
Balls instead of chairs - Hahaha

Just thought I'd pass this along in case anyone is tired of sitting in the same old chair everyday while they work.  I've seen this "tip" before but never bothered to try it until recently. 


I purchased one of those large inflatable exercise balls and use it instead of a chair.  It's a very refreshing change.  I did have to learn to balance a bit because in a chair you can move around, even when you're not aware of it, and the chair is stable but the ball isn't.  It also helps me keep better posture, is easier on the low back/sacrum, and I think it is helping my abdomen because you are working your abdominals and legs while sitting there. 


Anyway, it was worth a try for me.  I may not use it all the time but it is a great change. 


Base for the ball chairs
I actually bought my exercise ball/chair through ebay and it came with a base which has a small back support as well as wheels.  It works out great.
Herman Miller chairs
Thanks for your advice. Both replies to my email suggested this chair, and one of my neighbors did, as well. I guess I'll have to see if the neighbor will let me come over and sit in it for a while, so I can be sure. I can't afford ANY chair right now (now 'til my production improves, as all my accounts are new to me right now), but I figured in the meantime I'd start shopping around so I'd know what I want someday when I DO have some money.
great comfy chairs
Hi!  There are office chairs by Herman Miller that offer great comfortable chairs designed for people that sit most of the day.  They are expensive starting from $500 and up.  I got the middle of the line and I have to tell you that I don't mind sitting now and worth every penny.  I still take my breaks but this chair is like heaven.  they flex with the movement of the person.  you can also go to cns.com for a full description and ordering.  you would not regret it!
Back pain and chairs.
Go for the pillows. I tried to splurge a while ago and get a new chair, took it back and got a new pillow. I use a thin pillow for my bottom and a nice orthopedic pillow for my back. I'm tempted to try the keyboard on my lap like I've seen suggested here but my husband just brought me a new keyboard tray from a teardown job he was doing that sells for almost 200.00. I think he'd be hurt if I didn't try it.
I get to take 2 Herman Miller chairs to try!
No one in my neck of the woods sells these things, except for a place 200+ miles away.  This business supply place, however, regularly makes trips out my way to set up office furniture and said they have demo chairs they would be happy to let me test out for 2 weeks at no charge!  So, I have an Aeron and Mirra Chair here in my little office and I'll be putting in a full week's work on each one!  So, if you have wanted to try one of these chairs but not pay for it before making a decision, I HIGHLY recommend just asking if you can test drive a demo one for a week or two.  I honesly had no idea they did such a thing so I just thought I'd share the fact that it is possible! 
3 office chairs in a year??? What are you doing? Aerobics in them??
/
Aeron, Mira, Celle Chairs - Anyone Have One? (sm)
Does anyone use an Aeron, Celle, or Mira chair by Herman Miller and are they worth the price?  Many thanks for any info.
Office Depot has chairs on display U can try before you buy. sm
Got mine there over 5 years ago, fully adjustable, I think it was $129, still good.
Can we talk about headphones/keyboards/chairs
and other ergonomic products that help you all do your job more productively and comfortably?  

 

I still use the basic headset MQ supplies; however, I'm wondering if there is something better, not too expensive, that produces a bit better sound and a bit more comfort.  I'm thinking it might help out with some of the not-so-great sounding dictation and/or ESL dictators.  What type of headset do you use and why?

 

What keyboards do you all use and how do you like them?   I have a Microsoft Natural Ergo and I use a slight reverse tilt.  I find that angle feels a bit better on the wrists. 

 

Does anyone have one of those desks that you can raise/lower?  Sometimes the ol' bum goes to sleep and I'm thinking standing up at times would help. 

 

What about foot pedals/foot rests?  I actually have 2 foot pedals so I can switch legs quick w/o reaching down and dragging the foot pedal back and forth. 

 

Thanks for any and all of your opinions! 

Know of any good chairs for back pain?
I have been using a $20 task chair from Wal-Mart for the past three years, I am sitting her now six months pregnant about ready to die from upper and lower back pain.  Anyone have suggestions for a good quality chair they like, right now money is not an option,  I would pay big $$$ for just a little relief. 
Herman Miller Aeron Chairs
As a side note, for the tailbone pain, I bought a coccyx cushion and I don't have the pain whatsoever anymore. It's wonderful.
So, you think it is okay for hard-working MTs to earn 7-8 cpl for their hard work?? nm
:{
mesh chairs.....you need to email or find Hayseed.
She test sat 2 chairs from Herman Miller in the last couple of weeks or so. she would be the one who could give you the skinny on them.
Owned for years
It is possible to own a home and I have owned 4 in the past 8 years. What I would do if your not sure (its advice my dad gave me many years ago) is try to buy something that would have payments in the range that you would have to pay if you paid rent. Then you know you can afford it. Either way, you have to live somewhere, whether it be renting or buying. Then once you find it easy to make those payments in a few years, you can sell and buy something a little bigger and nicer. Just a little advice that has helped me in the past. Hope it helps!
No. Owned by a woman.
x
Is that still Indian owned by Jay?
NM
I never knew who owned it before all this went down.
nm
Have you ever owned a laptop?
The single biggest selling feature of a laptop is that they are...wait for it...portable. So much the same way I don't leave any valuable laying on the table when I go to the bathroom, my very portable laptop goes in with me. When I am in what I feel a safe, secure, environment to leave it at the table/desk, I time it so I am not in the middle of a report and close the lid, thereby requiring the password to get back into it. It does not require a degree in IT to take safety precautions.
After years of sitting in "cheap" chairs, I bought an Aeron chair and it was worth it!!
.
MDI-Florida is owned by Transcend....sm
but is run as a separate company.    MDI-MD is a separate company not owned by Transcend.
nope - OWNED BY FRANCE AND....sm
American Hospital in Paris is owned and run by the French...........they named it when they were still liking us.........*LOL*
MT Co owned by Hospital corp.?

How many MT companies are owned by hospital corporations or the hospital corp have a piece of MT companies?  I ask this because some hospitals are only allowed to use certain MT companies.   Is this a way of keeping wages down and/or them getting more $?  Isn't there some kind of rule where doctors can't refer patient to a facility that they have part ownership of. Shouldn't this apply also?


Just wondering


ForuMatrix is owned by MTStars. (SM)

If you have complaints about ForuMatrix or about how MTStars is operating, etc., address them via e-mail to the Administrator (admin@mtstars.com) or myself (goldbird@mtstars.com).


Thank you,


Goldbird


 


Yes, it is still owned by Jay. Is this just for information or to goad that
/
USATasp is 100% US owned & operated.
/
Do you use a personally owned VR or is it with the company?? sm
Would like to know what VR programs are good for personal purchase.