I agree with Former Unit Secretary sm
Posted By: mlstoo on 2005-10-28
In Reply to: IC to unit secretary - 10 year MT
Great job, learned a hell of lot, meds,diseases, etc., but I worked days and weekends, notoriously busy,busy,busy, and saw a lot that I just didn't like. Staff personalities are really much worse behind the nursing station than they are on the floor, believe me. Got tired of getting reamed by doctors who thought I was the nurse just because I answered the phone. I never had as much problem with IBS as I did then. If anything went wrong, a med order, lab order, whatnot, it fell on my shoulders. You need a tough skin to work days, nights might be easier, who knows. My skin thinned out faster with that job than 13 years of prednisone usage did. Good luck
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IC MT to Unit Secretary - sm
Do you like to answer the phone? Do you like to file? Do you like to have people order you around? Are you neat and organized? Can you do three or four things at once? If yes, then go for it. The hours 7 pm to 7 am may not be as busy as when I worked during the day, but your hospital may well be busier, depending on what type of unit you're on. I learned a tremendous amount working as a unit secretary, one thing being I didn't want to be around people anymore, the pubic being the most obnoxious of them all. An doctors in person can be very arrogant too; a lot different than on the other end of the line. Don't know how you will do those hours with small children, but good luck to you.
IC to unit secretary
You brought up some excellent points! Since you have done both US and MT, you definitely would say that you prefer the MT over the unit secretary?
Thanks for your input!!
Whether or not to leave IC MT job for unit secretary job at hospital???
HELP, PLEASE!!! I am currently an IC, which I have been for eight years, and I recently applied for a nursing unit secretary position at the local hospital. I interviewed and who would have guessed it, they offered me the job. The position is third shift, 7pm to 7am three nights a week. I do have little kids to think of when considering this. My ultimate goal is to go to nursing school and I am thinking that working in the hospital will be good experience. I don't know if it will be easier to go to nursing school while working as an MT or as a unit secretary. I am having a hard time deciding what to do. I don't know if I would be better off staying put even though I have no motivation to sit down and type or should I take this chance to do something new. Like with any new job I am afraid that I won't like it but I don't particularly care for this current job. What do you think would be the better move? I know you can't make my decision for me but some input on what you would do in my situation would be helpful. Any advice is truly appreciated.
Thanks!! 
MT goes unit secretary ... check out my story!
Ive been an MT for 13 years. I was an IC for 10 years, and a FTE for a local hospital for the last 3 years. I came back from vacation in June to discover my lovely boss was interviewing companies to outsource the MT department. He lied to us - told us not to worry - and then a month later our union received the '60 day notice' letter and we were out on our assess. I took a job as a unit secretary - and a $5 an HOUR paycut along with it, working 3-11 and alternate weekends. Am I crazy to do this. Well yes and no. I'm keeping my awesome union benefits, building toward being vested in 2 more years, and just landed an IC MT job doing guess what: MY OLD JOB. The company that outsourced us hired me. I plan to rake in the bucks in the AM and do the b.s. job at night. 3-11 is half the work as a day job - plus you get the shift differential. Wish me luck ! Joanne
Probably medical records or unit secretary
In my area the pay is about 50 cents less an hour than MT seems like a gravy job compared to this.
Take at home transcription job or unit secretary job at hospital?
I've been an MT for 12 years and have worked at home doing MT for 10 years. Recently got replaced by EMR so had to find work elsewhere. I took a job at a local hospital as a unit secretary working 3-11 now I have been offered a job with a national transcription company. I'm not sure if I should go back to transcribing since the line count/money making potential has me worried. I've been assured that I will never run out of work but I'm worried that I will actually be working longer than the 8 hour shift in order to make the amount of money I need. I would love to be back home with my kids typing again as I miss not seeing them as much as I used to and they want me to be home. I am just not sure if I should stay in a job at the hospital which has a guaranteed amount of money per pay period since I'm being paid by the hour and not by the line where my paycheck can vary. Any thoughts/suggestions/opinions, recommendations out there? Any and all would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!!
Unit secretary will help somewhat with terms, meds, and learning the flow of the shift, but it won&#
s
IC to medical secretary
 Thanks everyone for your input. I have a lot to consider and you all have been a great help.
Look in your area for medical secretary jobs
get a chance to transcribe. You have to understand that a lot of MT's are wanting to work from home. The ones with the experience are the ones that will most likely get the positions before someone fresh out of school. Even though some students do better than others, this field still takes the experience. You can't really blame the companies, it is their loss when you can't produce because of lack of experience, and I do not mean this in an unkind way. Think about it though if you were offer a job with benefits... who would you choose? The one with the experience right? I know it is such a catch-22, but I guess the training institutes do not clue you in on this part. I agree with the other posters, try to get a small local account for yourself and do not set your expectations too high at first. You'll gain experience and self-confidence.
33, Medical Secretary Degree, graduated in 1999
nm
In MT ads on the net, more and more I see ads for combo positions - MT/front desk, MT/secretary, etc
b
Another one from back when it wasn't an insult to be called Secretary
I actually went to a secretarial program at the local technical school. AND I learned Gregg shorthand, but haven't thought about that in a number of years. Boy are you all bringing back memories.
Now everyone is an administrative assistant. Secretary is much easier to say.
Need transcriber unit
You need a transcribing unit that has a pedal that comes with it. Your digital pedal will not work. Depends on size of tape -- micro, mini or standard.
Unit Coordinator
That was my first job in a hospital, although I had worked as an insurance examiner for an ins. company and had medical terminology. It was actually a job I loved. I answered the phone at the unit desk, called for missing reports needed for the patient to go to surgery. When I did it I transferred all the doctors orders onto a cardex and filled out the necessary lab/x-ray/PT, etc. requistion slips. I filed the lab slips and x-ray reports on the chart when they came to the floor. When a patient coded I had to respond and take notes of when CPR was started, all meds given, who responded, time ended. If the nurses were all busy I often answered call lights and relayed the patient's needs to the nurse caring for that patient. I loved it because at the time my boys were little and I worked part-time 3-11. I only needed a baby sitter for two hours till DH got home and I got full benefits for my entire family at no cost. So besides the small check I was bringing in I was furnishing my family's medical coverage. Every job now wants you to be certified in ACLS (Advanced Cardia Life Support) they want you to often times be able to monitor patients if they are in CCU or ICU (that is be able to tell when something out of the norm is showing up on the monitor). I wore scrubs, so no work clothes expense. If the pay works for you go for it...it is totally different from MT and often times there are opportunities for advancement to other positions once you get your foot in the door. I loved it, it was a great job. Just be aware it is a 7-day a week position, so not every weekend off and you will work holidays, Christmas was always the worst but at least it was 3-11 so I had Christmas morning and early dinner with my family.
TENS UNIT
I have used in the past all day.
Could also be life support unit. nm
Anyone work with a Lanier VTI unit?
Just started today for a new service. I have plugged in the Lanier VTI unit and have checked the connections; they all seem to be correct. I can dial in to the hospital system and access a report, but the foot pedal won't work. My MTSO is calling in a technician but I hope it's not something silly I'm overlooking. Any suggestions?
Lanier is a digital unit
There is a screen on the front of the unit letting you know the job information, number of minutes, dictator, etc. The unit itself utilizes a phone line. The dictators call the server and record their dictation. You access their dictation through the Lanier.
Your still have to have software with the handheld unit
that allows upload to FTP. Without that, FTPVoyager is useless. Make sure you buy handheld units that have the software capability to upload to FTP otherwise you'll be stuck.
If you find that handheld units with the upload software is out of your price range, consider the EZ-Voice solution.
Good luck!
Long-term skilled unit?
ss
There is a small microphone on the front of the unit
If you look on the front panel beneath the volume slider, below the button labeled 21, you will see a very tiny hole. It is a microphone hole. I have used the stick from a Q-tip to fill it in and it lessened the hum quite a bit. I left the swab tip hanging out as an extra buffer. Looky weird but it worked!
Try this and see if it works, but unplug and replug the unit first
Programming Dictaphone unit:
1. Press the "Program Key" key (far left button under the display screen) and you will see the word "Keys".
2. Press the "Keys" key (same far left button under the display screen).
3. Press the first button on the left vertical row of black buttons (remember this marked button as it has been programmed for the display), and put in the following: # * 1 8 (to program the display).
4. Then press the "select" key (look on the right hand side of the phone keyboard itself and press "x" where it says "Dictate" aka the multiplication sign), and the display window should clear.
5. Lift receiver to get original display back and hang the receiver back down. You are done programming.
To get a job, dial the hospital phone number, enter your ID#, and press 6. You will hear the prompt say "at start". To get the demographics, press the "programmed key" (or the button you programmed on the vertical row) twice. You should hear four rapid tones and it will start giving you the demographics. If you miss any part of the demographics, you can press the "programmed key" again twice, and it will start the demographics again. Every time, you sign off a job and get a new job, you will have to press the "programmed key" twice again for the demographics.
The code to program the display button on the Dictaphone is # * 1 8. If for some reason, your Dictaphone will not give you a dial tone or seems locked, trying reprogramming the Dictaphone as above.
What model is the unit? I used one a long time ago..sm
However, the doctors called into it to dictate. There was a hard drive with it that was connected to phone line. I would log in on the machine and pick up the jobs to transcribe. Is it similar to that? Or is this something else? There is also a Philips call-in station that hooks to phone line, but that's only for the docs to call and dictate.
How are you using the Philips to get work from your friend, that's what I don't understand? Does the friend have the same system? Just trying to figure out the setup and how to be more helpful. I know I once tried to use the Philips call-in to re-record dictation from a microcassette and it wouldn't recognize it and just timed out. It would only accept an actual voice, and that was using landline phone, so I think they do have certain parameters set up. It might be that the Vonage isn't compatible. Maybe you could call a Philips tech support person and ask. There's a tech number in the manual and on their website.
Handheld unit software question. sm
Is there a software for the Olympus WS-100 and other units with USB ports that copy from the unit to FTP or designated site for file transfer, store a copy onto computer, and then delete from unit?
If so, please advise. Thanks.
Hospital Unit Coordinator/Clerk
Anyone know what this kind of job would be like? One of the local hospitals has a few of these positions open in various departments. I'm wondering if it's a high pressure/low pay kind of thing, if only because they seem to be hiring from the outside. When I worked for a bank many years ago, they hired "outsiders" only for the crap jobs. I'm tired of MT and want to explore my options.
TENS unit inquiry minds want to know:
Just wondering if anyone has a personal experience using a TENS unit they could share. How long do you use yours for, if you find relief that you forgot you could have, etc. As a chronic low back pain sufferer, I’m looking forward to getting mine on Tuesday!
Thanks
P.S. The temperamental Sony unit was a bargain at $100! Ouch!
Anybody want to sell me a bridge?
Maybe you local Cancer Society unit would have suggestions? nm
s
Which hand-held unit is simplest for doctors? sm
Need a handheld unit, but need to know of simplest one for doctors to use. Also, is there a program that uploads the dictation as soon as you connect the unit that sends it automatically? Thanks.
Also plan on getting a cooling unit to park laptop on
they run anywhere from $30 to $100 depending on features. Worth it definitely to run a laptop for 6 hours or more to keep the unit cool.
I am lucky for the most part, my only hard ones are in the Trauma ER unit, where it's crazy but t
just love to dictate while on the spot there, talk about noise. But the name spellers are the worst, as suggested below that will spell "Smith" but not "Teona" (1 I had earlier). I do several divisions that are supposed to supply patient lists (but tend not too), but I guess they get their jollys seeing how bad I can butcher the names. 
This happened to me once. I had bought a Lanier transcribe unit from someone advertising over on SM
MT Daily. I sent her a money order for $500. She sent me one email after she received the money order saying she had sent the Lanier and of course I never received it and she didn't answer my emails for a week. Then she finally emailed again saying she had asked her daughter to send, but she hadn't and that she was going to ship the next day. Still I didn't receive it. At that point, she stopped answering my emails and eventually blocked me from being able to send me emails. I had her mailing address and phone number. Of course, she screened her calls and never answered the phone.
One thing people should know about MT's, we do our homework. I immediately researched what my legal options were and here is what I did:
1. I contacted the adminstrator of the website on which the original classified add appeared. They attempted to contact her to no avail.
2. I contacted the police departments in both her city and mine and filed a fraud report.
3. I then contacted the Attorney General's off in both her state and mine and immediately filed a report with each office. I was told that the claim would be investigated, but more than likely nothing would not come of one complaint, BUT if they received more than one complaint regarding fraudulent practices by the same business or individual, then they could file charges.
In the end, she made the mistake of forwarding one of those chain emails to everyone in her address book and mistakenly sent it to me. So, I had the email addresses of her business associates, co-workers, employers, friends, family. I promptly sent an email to everyone of them telling them exactly what she did to me and that they should be very careful in dealing with her.
I got several angry emails for people asking me not to include them in my email war. I apologized to those people and took them of the mailing list. However, three of the email contacts emailed me back and said they had bought stuff from her and never received the equipment. And finally, I received a very angry email from the perpetrator's other daughter. Apparently, her mother was freaked out about the fact that I had reported her to the police and the attorney general's office and I also let her know that I had made three other contacts ready to file with the attorney general's office which would probably get my case more notice. The daughter Western Unioned me my money within 24 hours.
Casey, I say break out the big guns and start shooting. That's what I did and it worked for me. You probably have the person's mailing address, so you know where he/she lives or at least what city and state he/she lives in. I wonder if we dealt with the same person? Is this person from Texas?
a phone/transcription unit with foot pedal and earphone...
dials to hospital dictation system for reports to transcribe.
If Google it - might find a picture of one.
Agree, agree, agree! Just listen to Benny Hinn..
he speaks perfect English, especially when asking for money! Also, in my opinion, blanks should be left in the doc's dictation if not able to be transcribed, maybe then they will know that are NOT understood. With QA fixing them, what need is there for them to care if we understand them or not?
I agree with you....
I mean afterall there is no evidence that she is dead. From the beginning I thought they were guilty and I still think that Joran knows something (not saying it was an intentional murder-- probably an accident) The biggest thing that plays on my mind is why did they lie in the beginning if they were innocent. I believe that they were covering up for something. There have been theories that she went for a swim and drowned but there has been absolutely no trace of her. No shoes, handbag, nothing, which leads me to believe that everything was gathered up and taken somewhere.
I feel for the family but they need to let the Arubans do their job abiding their own laws. I know the mother has said she will stay until she finds Natalee but you can't live in Aruba forever.
I agree....
I think you have to blame Natalee herself before you blame the chaperones. What was she thinking going in a car w/ three strangers in a foreign country??? And also, what about her friends.. what were they thinking letting her go to the bar or leaving the bar alone? Back when we were in college and were on spring break or just bar hopping in this country..... you NEVER let your friend go off w/ some strange guys. That is just common sense.
I agree!
It is stated above, "I wouldn't give my daughter 2 cents towards a trip to Aruba at age 18. There's only one reason to go to an island like that, to drink."
Thank you! Me either!
I feel awful for this girl and her family. I really do. But no way in Jerusalem would I have allowed my 18-year-old son OR daughter to go to Aruba (which is a colony of the Netherlands, where pot is legal and who knows if there's any regulation on alcohol).
An 18-year-old is in no way socially savvy or emotionally prepared to be turned loose in a strange place with very loose laws and be expected not to get into some kind of a situation that he/she is in no way prepared to handle.
NO WAY
I really hope they find this poor girl, but it's not looking good.
I agree - for all we know
they could have taken out a second mortage on their home to finance this "vacation".
I agree with you...
besides if I sat all day and typed an American doctor who dictated in monotone speech I'd be sleeping by 10 a.m. I look forward to the challenge of transcribing the ESL's every day..it makes our jobs more rewarding!
I agree
nm
I do agree with that...
Evil does exist no matter where you go and my post was meant in no way disrespectful to you or your opinion (I hate it when a flaming war starts like the ones above). I just know how one seemingly insignificant comment can start a whole line of growing misinformation... Kinda like that game we probably all played as kids..telephone or whatever
I did not hear about the comment of America being the Great Satan, that is interesting, I am going to have to check that one out!
agree...
IN some cases we did, but do you really think the Indians didn't do the same? There is a myth about indigenous peoples on any continent being "noble savages," but in truth, there were warring thieving tribes among the Indians here who leeched off the peaceful tribes before the Europeans got here. Lying and cheating are not exclusively European virtues.
I still say they need to get over it. We spend way too much time in this country talking about mistreatment and ills of the past - we need to spend more time and energy on building a future for the children and grandchildren we say we love so much. The best way to give them a successful, peaceful future is to let go of our resentments and choose to love our children more than we love our grudges.
I agree with you (sm)
it takes a village to produce a perfect report! LOL! I embrace the feedback from QA, both positive and negative. And I make notes and try not to make the same mistake twice. Life is a learning process, anyways. The day I stop learning, I guess will be the day I die!
don't think so, i agree, it is a
x
I don't agree.
We get a lot of local coverage, but what about national coverage like on Fox, MSNBC, CNN, etc.? Every single news network has been focused on this one single incident on just about every show from 7 to 11 p.m. for months. Nancy Grace gives a 30-second blip in her missing person segment, but the majority of her hour-long show is devoted to the Holloway case. Look at all the help that was donated to the search effort in the Holloway case because of media attention and contrast that to the help that could be focused on other cases in addition (not instead of) had they received the same saturation of news coverage. It's not a generalization, it's an actuality.
I agree
Yes I agree with both of you Joran was involved. I think it was drug related probably not to her knowlege, an accident or something and then they panicked and did whatever they did. When you hear that the father actually said, "No body, no case", that sends off bells to me. My fear is they know she will never be found, and he will just do his 116 days in jail or whatever, and her parents will never have any closure. Sad. I hope we are all wrong. I hope she shows up somewhere like Elizabeth Smart, no matter how traumatized, it can be dealt with. However, I still don't think it is fair to all the other parents with missing children who cannot get their story on CNN for 3 hours a night, not for even a minute. That has to be a plight worse than hell, not knowing; and thank God I don't know how it feels and hope I never will.
I agree with almost everything you said except for
the fact that you don't think our work impacts patient care. I have to disagree with that one. So many times the things that we transcribe are read and re-read to help those giving direct patient care a better understanding of what is going on with their patient (I used to be a nurse and quite often read previous transcriptions). While we are not directly involved in patient care, we do have an impact on their care. Anything that is placed in the chart has an impact on the care because if we transcribe something incorrectly (which we all do)whether it be MR#, wrong med, whatever and nobody catches it then it becomes a part of the record and may be referred to many more times down the road.
I do agree that a lot of transcriptionists would be happier if paid by the hour with incentive bonuses for QA and/or production, but like you said, that is not likely to happen.
I am glad that we can get on this board and discuss our different opinions with others. Sometimes it gets a little lonely working at home and it helps to know other people's insight into different things.
I have to agree...
Degree in advertising and marketing and promotion and choosing to do MT. How pitiful is that? 
I agree
I can do 1800-2000 lines a day, so 1000 is a piece of cake.
I agree
On of my good friends is trying to get pregnant now and she thinks becoming an MT at home is going to be easy. She is planning on taking the education direct MT program. I told her, she better know what she is doing.
I doing all the research I can, so I won't make a big mistake.
After reading the posts I don't think it's worth it. I feel I can be a better mother to my child if I continue to work outside the home now. Like a pp said being home physically isn't enough, you need to be their for your children emotionally and mentally. At least once I leave my office, my work stays there and I can give my attention to my baby.
You all have helped so much!!!
THANK YOU:)
Have to say I agree with you
Luckily, I didn't have to do it at home part time, but I had a job away from the home during the day, and worked at home typing in the evenings and weekends. I had 3 kids to raise by myself with no help, so I did what I had to do to make ends meet. But I know they felt neglected when I was at home, and "always working." Luckily, they grew up okay, but it was hard, and there is always the guilt of "always working". I remember them saying those words very clearly.
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