I have tried many headsets over 20 years, but
Posted By: best headset ever! on 2008-05-31
In Reply to: speakers & headphones - donna
I find the very best clarity are USB based. Forget about the ones that you plug into your speakers. USB are the best headsets.
I recently purchased a Plantronics DSP-500 USB headset. No noise whatsoever and the audio is the best I have ever heard. Also very comfortable. Average cost is $50.00.
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get TV headsets
Here's one link: http://www.devices4less.com/TV.html
Used headsets...
I worked for a company where many MTs sent back the used headsets with ear wax on them when returning equipment. First of all, I didn't understand why they would even send back a used headset...but with ear wax on them?!?! Disgusting!
headsets
I like the stethoscope kind - fit right in your ears.
Tell me about headsets! Which do you use/like best?
I have to invest in a new pair, my are crackling and the sound quality is getting very poor.
What are the best sets out there? The stethoscope style that go in the ear, stethoscope style that only go against the ear, tubular style, ect?
I have a toddler at home and need to be able to hear her, so I don't think the noise canceling ones would be a good option for me.
THANKS!
need new headsets
I am in need of new headsets and was wondering what everyone uses. Thanks for your input!!
for those using DC-10 headsets
I was all ready to purchase this headset on-line when i noticed they appear to be monoaural (1 stripe) rather than stereo (with 2 stripes on connector). I plug into my PC -- do i need a headset with a different connector, or is there an adaptor of some sort? thanks.
Headsets
I went with the cheaper set. They are glorious. I can't live without them. I definitely recommend investing in a pair.
headsets
I find I have a lot less white noise when I plug directly into the computer than plugging into the speakers.
Headsets / Speakers
Anyone know of good headsets that provide clarity? I am looking for that rather than volume.
I have also thought about just using good speakers (no headset), but I am wondering if it would cause more errors of sublte wording. It seems like it would be better on the ears but not as good for hearing.
Input is appreciated.
Office Max headsets
Has anyone ever bought the stethescope headsets from Office Max? They have clear plastic tubes leading to the ear pieces and a center cord. I can't find a brand name stamped on them anywhere and my OM doesn't carry them anymore. They cost about $21.97. I need to know if someone has a pair and/or if another Office Max locally to anyone is still carrying them that I could get the brand name/model # so I could order them online.
TIA!
To those with good headsets
Do the better quality headsets allow you to not have to crank the volume so much? I don't like blasting my ears but with the poor quality recording and the way the dictators speak, I often have to.
Have you noticed that is not so much the case once you have purchased good headphones?  - Thanks for any feedback.
I have Bose headsets
LIke some of the other posters said, bad sound files are bad sound files. I have noticed a huge difference though in what constitutes a bad sound file for me since I got my Bose headphones. Yes, they were pricey. I spent about $150 for them. I rarely have to crank the volume and I hardly ever get the staticky white noise sound that I did with regular "transcription" head phones.
http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp
To those with cheap headsets
Just wondering if any of you have tried the "quality" sets? I only ask because if you have not compared, you might not know what you are missing.
I keep bugging you all because it seems when I make investments that are supposed to help, it is about a 50/50 success. Some help; some were not worth the money.
I need to get faster. I am okay with certain accounts, but others slow me way down, so I need to make every improvement I can to make the slow accounts a moot point (at least).
Thanks again for all the help!
Lanier headsets
I hear ya! Lanier headsets are the best and I found this website that appears to have the original headset by Lanier with a little volume control gadget added to it.
http://www.martelelectronics.com/1209.html
I may just order a couple of them myself as the one I have is old but still is the best one and works like new and never hurts the ears.
An audiologist told me earphones and headsets will sm
cause hearing loss. He was quite alarmed that I did this all day long, day in and day out. He said it would be much better to use the speakers.
Has anyone experienced diminished hearing from transcribing with headphones/headsets? sm
I don't think I hear as well as I used to as I'm always asking DH to turn up the voice on the television, and he used to play in a rock band! He would be more likely to have hearing loss. Just curious as there has been a lot said lately about MP3 players and hearing damage.
58, AHP/self-taught, trained at hospital 5 years, now with 2 of my own accounts for 10 years, employ
Also worn out 2 keyboards in 4 years. I will never retire. DH will come home some day from work and I'll be slumped over my keyboard. I put in 14 hours a day 7 days a week.
Pack years = packs smoked per day x years of smoking - sm
25 pack-years = 25 years of 1 pack a day, or 12-1/2 years of 2 packs a day.
I don't think pack-years applies to someone who smokes only cigars. But I don't know for sure.
I worked for Cbay for 3 years. I was also part of their lay off back many years ago. sm
Even though I got stuck in a lay off era, I still love the company. They paid well then. The people were nice (exception of 1 person) and if I had the opportunity I would go back again. Fortunately (or unfortunately - depending on how u look at it), I have a great paying job right now, so I am not looking for a change. I do know that at one time, they asked management to accept late paychecks, but never sure of the reason why. My check was never late.
I know it used to be 5-10 years back, but the laws changed within the last 2 years. They can only g
x
6 years legal then switched to medical 17+ years ago. sm
I don't mind doing legal and will do it now from time to time, but be prepared to be totally bored out of your mind.
At least that's the way I feel. I love to transcribe, learned legal in college, went on to get my paralegal degree, etc., etc., but I did temp work when the kids were younger, which was about 90% medical and I would never go back to legal except for once in a while.
Booooooring.
Only 3 years away from reaching total years for retirement
but if I had to do this and raise a family, would feel exactly like you do. The pay is terrible compared to what I used to make. I work 32 hours a week, hope to be able to continue even after full retirement age. I have worked on VR now and unless places get to where they really do not care about how their reports look, think they will need MTs. I very seldom do a report and it is 100%, just cannot remember 1 like that and most take a lot more editing. Working now because want to, not have to anymore, thank goodness!!
I dumped my ex 20 years ago, but got lucky 13 years ago
It would take me all night and pages and pages to describe what a bad person my ex-husband was. After six years of putting up with his OCD, verbal abuse and alcohol, I left him the house, took the kids (5 and 1) and didn't look back. That was 20 years ago.
I wasn't looking to get married again, but I did. After 13 years I only complain when hubby doesn't see things my way. :)
My older kids, who were 5 and 1 when I left, are married and have kids of their own now. My husband gets the Father's Day cards. Their "real" father sits alone in the perfect little house I left behind and let him have and he drinks himself into oblivion every night because nobody is "perfect" enough, including his kids and his grandkids that he never sees.
Sad, but true. So glad I smartened up and got out of there when I did.
We have been supporting other countries for years and years now.
What is the big deal. Look at your clothes, cars, items in your house. You will see mostly China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan etc., etc. We have not supported our own people like we should have for years now!!!!
Only 2 in 13 years for me. First Edix for 8 and now Webmedx for nearly 5 years. nm
.
When I trained, back years and years ago
We did not have spell checking nor the internet (Google for instantaneous help). OMG, how did we do it? We used Correcting Selectrics with the lift-off tape to correct errors- you only had dictionaries, both English and medical, to look up things so yes we did have to learn to spell all those big longgggggggggg words.
MT: 24 years. Same company: 11 years same co. after buyout.
x
Grammar Question: 9 years' ago or 9 years ago? *sm*
 I have a terrible time trying to remember this rule! HELP!
Worked inhouse for years and years
Inhouse transcription from 1973 to approximately 1992 and we had no downtime for answering the phones and when the physicians came into the room (or others) needing some assistance, just part of the job. I did not feel bad about doing it then and I dont see why you would either. You don’t realize that probably you are making right now more than if you are outsourced, right? You have hourly salary plus incentive. Guess how many of us have that now? Probably inevitable about outsourcing so I would say just enjoy while you can. The pay our here now sinks further and further. I make, for instance, 4 cents a line for voice recognition and 8 for straight. Now, more complaining?
19 years old...married 26 years. nm
n
they've been doing this for years and years (nm)
IMHO
People have been saying that for years and years - SM
however, I am working fewer hours and making more money. I think maybe the answer here is working as an IC for a one-owner company. MTSO was an MT for many years and she knows the secret to making lots of $ is putting your MTs doing what they do best and leaving them alone.
I don't think it is the "national" part of services that hurts. I think the low wages can be gauged by the number of suits in the company. More suits = less $.
And why pay QA? Just hire people experienced/good enough to do the work correctly the first time.
I have been doing Radiology only the last two years after several years (sm)
of acute care. I love it and find it easier although not as interesting as acute care. I was told by those who hired me that a good medical Transcriptionist will be able to do Radiology even with no experience in it. There are some specialized terms but easy to learn. I would never go back to acute care unless there were very good dictators and good sound quality.
30 (!) years; OTJ (don't think there were schools 30 years ago) nm
:)
Years ago it was 7 years. Not certain as to status now.
10 years here, too, and making 8.4....same as i was 5 years ago. nm
f
Shame on me.. Am I the only one with 4+ in 2 years, but with my last one 2 years.
Lots of little "stints" in between, just trying to keep my head above water.
24 years MT, 7.5 years with the same hospital nm.
x
22 years, same company 10 years nm
nm
32 years, longest was 28 years at same co. (nm)
*
28 years, 9 years at 1 hospital..sm
9 years at one hospital, 8 years with 2 services, then went out on my own (11 years ago) and got a bunch of surgeons and I moonlight on weekends for a national (9 years with national).
If I knew what I know today, with how the MT business has gone down $$-wise for us over 20+ years, if I had my druthers and could start over again, I would have stayed with CODING/BILLING instead of MT work (though I love MT work) as billing/coding is still lucrative in this country....
just my 3 cents
32 years, 18 years at hospital...
7 at Medquist, 7 at Spheris. Starting at Transtech Medical tomorrow.
Do you need to have 2 years full time experience or just 2 years' experience? nm
..
49 years old/self taught/daughter 20 years old/self taught. I'm a CMT, and daughter is studying t
take the test soon.
I know I'm old - 30+ years as well
but I do remember specifically being told "double". Maybe there is something to the reason being that they used to "talk good."
I'm going on 35 years of doing this
and I try to keep my goals realistic dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, etc. I don't like to see a minimum of 200 lines/hour; occasionally can reach nearly 300 lph but depends on the dictators. Seems the account I do now mostly has dictators from India, the ones I dislike the most. I love Russians, Japanese, Germans, French, etc., etc., but for some reason I find the Indian accent very difficult!!!!
I, like you, do not use expanders or "normals" etc., mostly because I'm from the old school and I type every word. I'm sure if I used some of the crutches I could easily reach 275 to 350 lines/hour, maybe more who knows! I keep telling myself one day I'll relearn how to do all that but right now, I don't care....when the time is right I'll know. Mainly I just keep trying not to stress myself out too much. I've put in my time and paid my dues and do a great job. I'm not a young chick anymore and don't expct myself to produce these huge line counts, but believe me, I know I could if that was my wish!!! Don't worry.....Be happy!
My Dad is gone now 10 years....
The last present he brought for me was an anniversary clock which I placed on my fireplace mantel in the center....Well that's Dad's spot because whenever I move that clock to any other spot it stops working, but the moment I place it in "the spot" it works immediately. My youngest daughter was almost 2 when my Dad died. After his death she would wake up and tell me "Grandpop was here last night"....I know my Dad comes around many times.
18 years.
nm
As an MT for 25+ years
I wouldn't recommend this profession in this day of voice recognition being on the horizon. Most of us who are doing MT are 40+ years old and there's a reason for that. Most community colleges and junior colleges no longer teach this skill. There's a reason for that. It's soon to be a thing of the past, whether one chooses to accept that fact or not, it is.
Second, this is a great job for awhile. But if you notice that over time people start to get nutzo when they've been out of social circulation too long and start to get a mean, angry edge to them. This is not a healthy way to live, sitting by yourself all day with no contact with the outside world except over the anonymous internet.
This is a great part-time job if you want or need to earn some extra income, but if you're thinking of going to school and have the time and means to do so, I suggest earning a bachelor's degree, which will open your options to many, many different possibilities rather than winding up limiting yourself to being a one-trick pony in a dying field.
I'm leaving this field within the next week - hopefully forever. I have accepted a position that's totally unrelated to MT and want to start building a resume in a profession that has a future. I've also completed my bachelor's degree, at age 48.
I'm not going to paint myself into a corner and wonder what hit me five years from now when this profession no longer exists. I respectfully suggest that you take that into consideration as well.
Best of luck to you in whatever you decide to do, but so allow yourself as many options as you can and don't lose touch with the outside world.
I was a MT for 15 years before going....sm
into a supervisory role. My current day consists of such things as:
Teaching new physicians at hospitals/clinics how to dictate and the information we need to provide a complete medical record for them.
Keeping up with information to assist clients and employees with current 5 different platforms as well as staying aware of changes these platforms foresee coming in the future. Yes, I'm always learning new things.
Answer questions about various accounts that arise. Some of these answers are by the MTs who don't look at the written information we give them on an account but the majority of the questions are "one time" incident items for an account.
Answer questions about turn around times, process stat requests, vacation requests, schedule changes, questions about bills and all sorts of other things during the day from clients as well as employees.
Answer inquiries and provide insight to senior management about things going on with a current client, which of course means I'm talking to the current clients frequently to ensure there aren't any problems not being resolved as well as looking for future additional business with the client.
I also transcribe when needed, usually averaging transcribing between 1000-5000 lines a month while filling in for the accounts having peaks or MTs out for various reasons (including, like Dano said, the one whose grandmother has died 6 times.). I currently have 1 employee who has I presume about 8 grandmothers in nursing homes on feeding tubes in 8 different states and of course all of these grandmothers happen to develop "potentially life-ending" medical crises 1-2 days before a holiday. I do "wonder" how this employee is going to handle it when all 8 of these grandmothers do die if they die at the same time!
I do love what I do, even when I get a phone call from a hospital waking me at 2:30 a.m. stating that the entire hospital computer system is down for maintenance and they forgot to tell me it was scheduled previously and that is why our transcriptionists can't get in to work).
About 20 years
Used to raise a lot of animals but not many anymore, kind of winding down, ya know? I used to organize an annual rare breed animal and pet expo in Tennessee. Most animal people are just really nice folks and it's a pleasure just chatting with them. I have a lot to say about the posts regarding animal cruelty and PETA but that appears to be a good conversation to stay out of.
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