Mine are on a beanbag wrist rest. Need wrists at 90-degree angle

• When typing, do you rest your --sm - Dee
  • Mine are on a beanbag wrist rest. Need wrists at 90-degree angle - to your keys for good ergo. nm
    • Sorry! Wrists at 180 degrees in same flat plane as - your keys. nm Post Office ergo advice

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Part of the reason so much work is being outsourced is because there are not enough high-quality MTs in this country.  We have a lot of MTs, I know, but I firmly believe, as an educator of an MT program, that many of them do not come out of school work-ready.  It is my hope that by the apprenticeship program becoming a reality, that we will boost the skill level of our new graduates and thereby making ourselves more marketable.  Off-shoring is here to stay, unfortunately, simply because of the cost, but I think there are enough hospitals and institutions out there who demand higher quality than what off-shoring can give, and the MTs in this country simply have to rise above and prove that we are better/more educated; that we are WORTH it. 

I understand your point, I really do, but I am looking at it from another angle of better education and skills for our US MTs.

Now this IS an angle -- who IS responsible should something happen?  But betcha they've got plenty of coverage whoever it is.  

The fact that we are losing our jobs to this is just a small piece of the pie of millions of Americans losing their jobs to offshoring.  Ten to one, most of the people you tell about this going on will tell you, "Oh!  But my doctor would NEVER do that!"  And they ask their doc, and he says, "No!  I send my work to an American service."  Does it stay in America????  What if any policies are in place to find out and ensure that it does?  Every physician I've asked about this is surprised that any company would offshore their dictation.  All they do is complain about how full of mistakes it is and how disgusted they are with the return. 

This is one of the medical community's dirtly little secrets.  It needs a thorough investigation by a concerned reporter to blow the lid off of it on a show like 60 minutes.  But who owns the networks, folks?  Who owns the media?  Those with the power, those with the money, those who are profitting by offshoring.  You think they have no financial investment in all this?  Think again.  It's not in their best interest to expose this. 

Now a remark was posted some days ago which I thought was great and it was to the effect that (as far as I know, and I may be wrong), when America offshores, the American people lose out on social security, etc. that American workers would be paying.  Now THIS seems to be something that might wake people up.  THIS aspect of offshoring would impact everyone and might get people to listen.  But I don't have the facts here, so I may be all wrong.  It just got my interest up.

The fight needs to be against offshoring in general and keeping jobs in America and protecting the American worker and the American economy.  I think that is where we will get the largest group of people on our side. 

And we need to change the public's perception of us as just clerk typists who do "medical stuff."  If it takes more education, we get it.  If it takes certification, we get it.  We do all in our power to eliminate the mental picture of a typist at the kitchen table in pjs with toddlers at his/her feet and elevate it to a professional behind a desk with the education and professional work ethic who makes a needed contribution to the medical industry at large.  They don't feel they need us.  People think anyone can do this job, that we're just a bunch of stay at home moms, etc. who for whatever reason don't want to leave the house to work.    We have to prove them wrong and show them we are as much a professional as anyone else who works from home be they accountant, dentist, or even physician.   Then we have to convince them to pay us as professionals because we're worth it, and we HAVE to be worth it.  If somehow, some day offshoring ends, we HAVE to be ready to pick up the pieces and demand what we are worth.  Why should we give away our services, be grateful to a company for "letting us work at home."  We are saving THEM money by working at home.  It is THEY who should be grateful to us and compensate us accordingly.  But again, our work has to be of such a quality that we are worth what we demand.  Medical transcription is a profession, not a hobby. 

Smart Gloves.  Google them.  They're wonderful.  About $20 bucks apiece but well worth the money.

Carpal tunnel type straps.  Wal Mart.  $10 bucks apiece.

I have both and I alternate.

I ended up with numbness in my right index finger, but after buying these, it just went away after a few weeks.  My fingers and wrists have some discomfort on occasion, but nothing like they were before.

One more thing, and I know people that do this, if you do "pound" the keyboard with your fingertips, relax those hands, elbows and shoulders and just tap. If that doesn't work, you may want to get a better keyboard.

Good luck!

With a medium-weight rubber band around your fingers and thumb, stretch your fingers and thumb out as wide as you can against the rubber band.  Bring fingers back in then stretch them out again, repeat 10 times 2 to 3 times a day. 

If you maintain a daily schedule with this you will definitely feel a difference.  Hope this helps!

I wouldn't be able to handle not making more money when I need to. 

This board is not know it all and neither are the people who post here.  MT is not going away.  There are too many physicians and/or clinics that still use tapes.  Come on, let's be realistic.  There are changes and cut in pay, but do you not think the physicians are feeling the crunch as well?  They only get paid a certain amount from insurance companies.  They've been told not to prescribe certain meds.  It's not just MT, everyone is feeling the pressure of higher prices. 

It's a shame you've never found a company that truly appreciates your work!  Good luck with the cake stuff!  I hope people don't quit buying cakes because of the price of food rising!  The economy is tough, very tough! 

My hands are always freezing cold.  I wear fleece "wristies" to keep warmer.  I have pain in both hands all day from typing.  One wrist has a ganglion, and both wrists have some arthritis showing on x-ray.  I rub capsaisin on hands/wrists.  Still the pain persists.  Pain relievers (Advil, etc.) do not help much.   Prescriptions from doctors did nothing.

I was wondering if other heavy typers out there might have found some helpful things to alleviate hand/wrist pain.  I even purchased "warming cream" which is supposed to help increase circulation to the hands, but it did nothing.  I have several keyboards that I have tried also. 

THanks!

I know I have read posts on here before regarding this topic but I can never find them in the archives.  Besides a different keyboard, is there something you can take like a vitamin or different foods that will help?  I have noticed that if I eat potatoe chips, my hands are stiff the next morning.  Is there a certain brace or splint you can buy that you can wear when not working or do you even wear these when working?  I thought I saw some magnetic splint somewhere.  I am not like this every day, just some of the time but when I am, it is very frustrating. 

wrest at Amazon. That's where I got mine. I couldn't use the one with the wrist rest either.

Ellen S.

Sorry, didn't realize I was still on this board.

Yes but this new keyboard I have is not as slanted as I am used to.

Does anyone recommend a certain kind of wrist support to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome?  It looks like there are so many to choose from.

I have done/tried a lot of different keyboards/splints/gloves/trays ect.  The only thing that has made my wrists/hands stop hurting is a Kinesis keyboard.  I have the Advantage.  They are costly, but well worth every penny spent and your typing speed will increase once you get the hang of it.  I love mine.  They will pry it away from my cold hands one day.  Not giving it up ever. 

correct??