Question for traveling laptop workers
Posted By: gimpyMT on 2006-05-25
In Reply to:
When staying in a hotel with a desk and internet connection to work, where do you put your keyboard? Anyone have any suggestion for a portable table to use that is the right level. The desks are too high.
Thanks!
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traveling with a laptop
I put a pillow on my lap and the keyboard on top of that. It only took a few minutes to get used to and works great for me.
laptop while traveling
What about to send and receive your work via internet services. I would think a wireless/high speed internet would be needed, first of all; but then will that work at all motels that advertise high speed internet services? Any other tips regarding this will be appreciated. I am in the thinking stages of this right now, so want to get the details worked out before spending a lot more money. TIA
q for those traveling with laptop --
if you use a rolling case, have you had any problems with the laptop that could have resulted from being a bumpy ride? my brother said never to put a laptop in a rolling case, but if i travel by air, i'd practially have to to bring all my essentials along...(and not stoe it)
Traveling with laptop
Does anybody do transcription on their laptop, other than those working for that company that has its own board on here?
Using a laptop computer while traveling
Hi,
In answer to your question, I have a USB aircard through Sprint, which I use here at home since I am in the "boonies" and only a mile and a half from a cell tower however, so my connection speed is great. When I "travel of the weekend" it is usually up to my significant others, and he has DSL available there so I use either or,
Hope this helps.
When traveling I get by with a laptop with Window98, 400 mHz process, Pentium 2 ,- sm
Not sure of my RAM but it is not anything excessing, 256 or 512. So depending on the job, this will work. I used it for a national too. Now work for 2 small MTSO's, 1 is DOS based, the other MSWord, have 97 on the laptop which easily opens/is compatible with Word2000. So that is not an issue at all. So you can probably get by with what you already have, might not be the fastest computer in the world, but it will get the work done. Maybe you should use it for work, keep the bare minimum of programs on it, and save up $$ and in 6 months get yourself something better/faster.
Must be wrong traveling MT. I dont use another monitor if I'm using my laptop. I use another keyb
When I dont use my laptop and I take my "portable computer" then I just bubble wrap it and my monitor and put it in my suitcase. I'm not sure how many people actually hook up anothe monitor to their laptop. That would confuse me too.. LOL
Unions may be good for workers short-term, but look what has happened to American car union workers.
They priced themselves out of the market while making an inferior product. Ford and GM are now junk bonds. I'm driving a Toyota. So if that's un-American just like shopping at a non-union store like Walmart, well you can talk to whoever is in charge of wages and taxes who have created this monster where even middle-class has very little extra money to support a union store where the employees are paid well and you pay the price in the product they sell. I can't afford it.
To all of you Escriptionist out there...Laptop question. Have any of you found a laptop that you can
thing. I tried one of those adapter that goes from the 9-pin to the USB but when I plugged in the USB my foot pedal did not work right. I know supposedly there is a help section on the escription website that says the adapter may work and how to make them compatible etc but it never worked for me. Has any of you find a solution or a laptop that this foot pedal with work with. I'd like to work while traveling and get a laptop but it never worked on my old one. Ideas??
Traveling MT
If I was a single person, I would most definitely take the position. This would be an opportunity to save lots of money since most of your expenses are paid and you really would not need to maintain an apartment at your home town.
traveling
I work for K-Force now. I also hear Precyse travels but not sure, am looking for another company that does.
traveling MTs
My hubby retired recently, and we travel in our RV. I have a laptop, foot pedal, headphones, and an external keyboard. When in our truck, I just set up a TV tray in the back seat and use the keyboard on the laptop. For Internet access, I have an air card from Verizon. With few exceptions, this has worked quite well for the past 9 months of cross-country travel.
Traveling
I have searched and have not found the answer to my question, so I apologize if this has been discussed before. I live in Florida and as hurricane season approaches, I am trying to figure out what to do if I need to leave town. I work for a company that requires an internet connection, unlimited long distance and a C-phone to dial in to the hospitals. I know that hotels usually offer wireless internet connections, but what about the phone line/connection? It would have to be something that offered unlimited long distance (as the hospitals are in different states) that could be used anywhere (not just my home). Would something like Vonage work? Or does Verizon have something? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Traveling MT- I need you!
nm
For those of you doing MT while traveling...
what about internet security? How do you make sure your work is secure? If you are using some other wifi connection when out and about, do you feel it's private? I am trying to figure out the basics. I'm clueless about this laptop thing but it sounds very versatile.
traveling
I went to San Antonio a couple of months ago for 2 weeks. I rented a laptop from Rent-A-Center, had the company install their software, and took it with me. I worked at the local library the first weekend because they had wireless, but then my father-in-law just went to the cable company and got me a modem for the 2 weeks I was there so I could work at his house. I would do it again though, even with going to the library. It was great to be able to go visit family and friends and not have to lose work either.
The traveling MT...
I have seen some posts about MTs who travel while they work. I would like to try working in the car but my husband is afraid I will get motion sickness. I am prone to motion sickness on curved roads and cannot read in the car. Does anyone else have a problem with this or find that they don't have a problem with typing? It seems like it would be different then reading a book or newspaper especially if I know we have a straight highway drive.
Traveling MT
If you have been a CMT for 20 years, how come you spell a lot as alot? ALOT is not a word!!!!
Traveling Hubby
I, too, have a traveling husband with so much responsibility in his job for the past 20+ years. Often I have had to be put on the back burner with a small child so that he could progress to the successful executive he is today. Things have never been about me, and I have had to accept this. I must say it was much more difficult when my child was young. When he is free, we have to remember to schedule nice things together and get those in his DayTimer before life marches on by us both.
Traveling Transcriptionist
How can they expect you to be a traveling Transcriptionist and go cold turkey into a facility and maintain a line count of 1500 lines?
Traveling transcriptionist job
I would love a job like this. Where do you apply for it. Also, do you have to do ops to get the job?
Re: traveling transcription
It sounds pretty good and it's a way to see some of the US that you might not otherwise be able to, but I couldn't leave my kids. You also have no way of knowing how much work you'll be given, so make sure you are able to meet your goals and have an out if it gets to be overwhelming. Would you be traveling alone or with another MT, for example? There are several things to consider. I personally am a hometown girl, but if you like to travel, why not?
Are there any traveling transcriptionists out there and do you like it.nm
x
Here's how I work while traveling...sm
If we're staying at a hotel, I stay only at one where there is a secured high speed internet available. They'll be happy to tell you if the connections are secured or not if you ask. How you know is this... if it's secured you'll have to enter passwords to enter their system. If they're not secured, you'd just plug in your cord and go for it.
If we're staying with relatives then I stay only with those that have the high speed internet connectivity available through a secured connection.
If neither of the above are available then I use my PeoplePC dial up account to work from. While it's not as fast as DSL/cable it connects well enough to let me work.
I take my keyboard and mouse and plug them into the laptop so that I do not have to depend on the laptop keyboard... which drives me nuts to type much on! Of course the foot pedal goes along as well.
Happy traveling!
Traveling teacher
Where in MT, you can E-mail me
Laptops and traveling
I have two accounts that I work on. My account during the week we don't have strict times, just a time you have to have files done by, so that does allow for a little more ease. On the weekend I cover for a small 50 bed hospital, so sometimes I may have 20 files, sometimes I may have 2. The one on the weekend has a special footpedal that you can only use with their program, but it really isn't that awkward in the car. The one during the week I can use a foot pedal or use F2 to start/stop, F3 to rewind, F4 to FF. At first I was a little slow with this but now I don't find my speed any different with using F2 or with the foot pedal.
It takes some getting used to, but where i live it takes forever to get somewhere, and it's really nice to be able to get some work done. I actually got to make some extra money the other day. My mom drives for a trucking company and they needed someone to take her to get her truck. So she drove my truck to go get it (about an hour away) and I worked the whole time. Got paid a $100 bucks to ride in my truck and work! Of course that was like a one time deal.
The best for me though is getting to go to Florida and visit my dad who is 6 hours away. I can still take my work and work on the road with a pc card (about $60 a month) and not have to take time off. Just have to make sure you discipline yourself to work and not chat with hubby! :)
Like I said, it takes some getting used to, but it comes in handy!
Been traveling for 3+ years and have worked the
whole time. Almost every truck stop has internet access, even WiFi, so you can get internet in the truck. Lots of hot spots across the country, can get an air card, use cell phone, etc.
Regarding traveling transcription post below,
was offered $19-$22 per hour for hourly positions and 9-13 cents per line for line positions, paid travel including air, hotel, and rental car, full benefits, and ability to come home every 2-3 weeks for 4 or 5 days. Would you take it? Assignments could be anywhere in US and anywhere from 1 month to 3 years or so. Thanks in advance for your time.
Question about working while traveling..sm..
Since I have my own account and no one to cover for me, I bought a laptop so I can take my work with me and get out of the house, go on vacation, etc. I'm used to typing at a desk with the keyboard on a keyboard tray and a little lower than the computer. I have an external keyboard hooked up to the laptop on a spare desk for now. I just can't picture myself typing at a table or something when on vacation but what other choices do I have?
Anyone have any advice for staying efficient and keeping up typing speed but not being at a desk?
Going with a small group but I am traveling alone.
Yes, it does sound great! I've already downloaded the schedule of speakers -- going to be at the CSI-Decapitation exhibit, see Richard Simmons, lol. I'm also curious to see all the vendors and what they have to display and tell. LOL
Never had a problem traveling with equip. NM
X
those are ads for recruiting - not traveling transcription positions
Kforce put the ads out to attract travelers. I worked for Kforce for 2 years. It was up and down with the work. My health insurance would get cancelled 10 days after an assignment ended, unless Kforce had another assigment to go to immediately. There were times I did not have for up to 3 months. There is always good and bad with a job. Unfortunately, I needed something steady and with insurance, so this wasn't for me.
Okay..I'm a.k.a. WanderingMT. Either way, I'm a traveling, working woman LOL
Need Help. Traveling and cant get express scribe to work......
I flew to my parents house. i didnt want to have to take my laptop on the plane as I already had a bunch of luggage and two little girls. I work out of EMDAT and use express scribe. Well I cant get sound and I keep getting a message that says there might not be a sound card installed or the sound card might be in use by another program.
Is there anywhere online where I can download a sound card, preferrably for free? I work for two companies and didnt take off work, and I am afraid they are going to be very upset if I cant get up and running soon.
Thanks so much :-)
My experience - first time traveling and working
Just got back from Lake Tahoe. I told some of you I would report back and let you know how it went. This was my first experience MTing on the road, and it went so smoothly. I worked about 20 hours from the hotel. They had nice comfy chairs and table big enough to hold all my stuff comfortably. It was amazing being able to look out over the lake and the mountains while working. My only complaint was this particular hotel did not offer a weekly rate for WI Fi. They charged by the day, and it was kind of pricey at $12 a day. I was worried about not having my books, but it was not an issue at all.
Taking a vacation by myself was the most amazing experience. I would highly recommend it to any of you who need to get away from the daily stresses of life. I feel so refreshed!
Like most of the MQ workers lately.
One of my co-workers had a (sm)
similar situation, only it involved her entire family. She was adopted as an infant by these people and they never let her forget it. It finally got to the point that she told a dear friend that she was planning to cut off all contact because she couldn't see putting herself or her children through it anymore. That dear friend and his wife adopted her at the age of 40!!
Indian workers
I was obvious they were Indian workers from Indian..Every one of them that I talked to had an Indian accent..I have nothing wrong with American workers with accents..but I called at least eight people to get my internet account straightened out and all had Indian accents..Come on now, I cannot believe eight people are of Indian descent all working at the billing department of my internet account..If you are American of first descent and working IN America, more power to you..if the account is sent overseas, I have a major problem with that..and if you dont have a problem with that, contact me in a few years when our jobs are overseas.
MTs/factory workers
I'm sure many younger and maybe even older MTs might not agree with this, so if you do, I'll be pleasantly surprised. The "how many lines per hour can you do?" mentality so prevalent in medical transcription today is not a good thing for this profession. This belittles the professionalism of the job we do, a profession which requires immense medical knowledge and skill, a fact which, sadly, no one in hospital administration or other positions of management have a clue about and really don't want to know about, else they would have to monetarily compensate us for the professionals we really are. The sad fact is that like a frog being killed by slowly upping the temperature of the water in which he is immersed, without his being aware of the change in temperature, we have by an analagous method slowly but surely become no more than skilled factory workers. X-ray techs, nurses, physical therapists, and other professionals are not evaluated on the basis of the number of patients they take care of each day but on how well they take care of these patients, so why are we evaluated on the basis of how many lines of transcription we can do per hour or day rather than the quality and accuracy of the reports we transcribe? It used to be our responsibility as MTs to put the patient first, to give the appropriate time to research any questions we have regarding the physician's dictation on a particular patient and to make sure we get it right for the sake of the patient, but now it has become the focus of our profession to see many lines per hour we can transcribe. This mentality leads to just trying to produce lines rather than trying to transcribe accurate medical reports. It is my firm opinion that we should not be paid by the line but by the hour, and unfortuantely, AAMT has not been there to represent us in this very relevant issue. If we are so professional as they espouse, then why don't they try to get on track and reverse this trend? In my opinion, AAMT has failed us. They have been so focused on style issues, which are of far less significance than medical accuracy and have caused many of us to boil inside because of the attention given to these really mostly irrelevant issues, that the crux of our problems has escaped them. They have been in absentia and have not been focusing on the issue of getting health care facilities and transcription companies to recognize us for the professionals we are and elevating our pay scale to the level it should be. I have been an MT for over 20 years, so I've seen the negative changes as they've slowly but surely transpired through the years. Perhaps it's time for me to leave the profession altogether because I just can't deal with this "factory productivity" mentality.
MTs/factory workers
There are many ways of sifting the chaff from the wheat. It doesn't take long to figure out those who are goofing off versus the ones who are researching to transcribe accurate medical reports. There also other means of monitoring MTs at home if one feels the necessity to be monitored. Also, there are ways to clock in and out on a pay-per-hour basis. One is via dial-up method and entering one's ID number into a designated system.
As for being paid for the amount one does versus being paid hourly I would only ask, would you want someone rushing through your H&P, your child's H&P, or the H&P or other report of any loved one just to get a certain number of lines a day, possibly listing an allergy to the wrong medication or listing the wrong extremity or wrong eye designated for a surgical procedure? I have transcribed for many, many years and there have been innumerable times that I have had to correct mistakes by physicians who have dictated the wrong extremity, the wrong eye, the wrong medication, the wrong drug allergies, etc., etc. I for one wouldn't want someone transcribing that I'm allergic to Namenda when I'm really allergic to Augmentin, and it's easy to see how these two medications could be misunderstood if the physician dictating isn't articulate enough, if the quality of the dictation system is poor, or if one is in just too big a hurry to produce lines to care. I do pray if I am ever a patient in a hospital that the MT who does my report gets it right. With such emphasis on line counts, it's no wonder we have patients who have had their only "good eye" or "good extremity" removed surgically.
Not true. And they pay their workers well &
http://www.snopes.com/business/alliance/costco.asp
Workers Compensation
Have any of you who are employees of a national company ever had to file for WC due to hands that just won't work anymore? I need to get carpal tunnel surgery but can't afford to make zero dollars while I'm off. I don't want to start accumulating medical bills or alert my company until I've done my research.
Workers Compensation
I did workers' compensation claims in my pre MT life. If MD says it is work related, should be no problem being covered. Depending on what state you live in, there is probably a waiting period that you would not be paid for until you are off for a certain number of days. State laws dictates the % you are paid of your average weekly wage based on a minimum and maximum rate. Do not wait too long to get your CTS taken care of. You could cause more problems with your hands if you wait too long.
Workers' Compensation and the ER
I thought the correct order of things would be for him to be seen regardless of where or how it happened, and the Workers' Compensation part handled after the fact. What would they have done if he'd been hurt more severely? I thought they'd (WC) reimburse whatever out-of-pocket expenses you have once the insurance claim is settled. The boss was definitely trying to set him up, which is disgusting. The funny part is that he actually gave your husband ammunition for an even more complicated lawsuit, should it come to that.
problens with co-workers
Does anyone know of a good way to get my co-workers to be quiet? I swear there is this one who if something sets her off we hear about it for the next 4 hours (no kidding). Then others get involved and come into the office and try to say their piece. It is so hard to concentrate and get a decent line count. The quality of my work is suffering. I got a report back the other day with some embarrassing typos in it. I don't get paid hourly I get paid on production. I need to make more than 1003 lines a day to make it worth my trip up there. I was making 1300 lines a day when working from home but then they pulled me in house because they didn't like my internet connection. Complaining to the supervisor doesn't do any good as there was a girl that did that and it just made everyone mad and they talk ugly about her. help!
Workers' comp for IC? Where to get?
I am an IC and have just been told I need to have WC Insurance. Where do I get it? Thanks for your help. suzq
Any MTs out there w/Workers' Comp. (sm)
eval transcription experience in Ortho, Neurology and/or Neurosurgery? How many years' experience do you have, and for which state? I'm wondering if it's a hard transition for someone with non-Workers' Comp Rad experience to transition to Ortho, etc. in WC.
ILLEGAL WORKERS
Good for you, glad your experience worked out. Mine didn't. I got a bid for our lawn, which is huge, from a local landscaper, it (the bid) was huge. Unbeknownst to me, my dh had ordered sod and had a delivery date. Someone called from the landscaper with a revised bid ($400.00 cheaper) and I said okay, and took it because the sod was on its way the following day, no cancellations allowed (it was a whop-load, like four truck trailers). I cold not afford to lose all that money. I took the bid, not knowing what else to do and low and behold a mass of people showed up with the truck and guess who they were? Right! I was totally out of my element and just backed up out of the way as huge machine things sent the sod rolling off the trucks and these guys all grabbed some and started rolling it out. Four hours later, the foreman from the landscape company showed up and these evidently were "his men" who showed up (complete with children and dogs and yes, they did want beverages, etc). These kids ran rampant all over the place with little to no supervision. Seems the foreman was stabbing his employer in the back and did this frequently. He is a citizen, but his workers are not. Most ended up being his relatives. Never again! This is my one personal experience with this and I know that it goes on all the time from a neighbor who is a contractor. So, I still blame illegals and people who foster illegals. They need to go home and leave us to ours. I was railroaded that day and others are too. Be careful who you talk to at landcaping companies.
IC Workers Compensation
Having come from being a workers compensation claim represenatative in my prior life, unfortunately you do need to carry your own coverage as an IC. 
This is what happens to workers when companies
If we just sit on our rears and let them, they'll happily keep on doing it. If all U.S. MTs (AND the editors who fix the Indians' stuff) were to stop work for just ONE week, do you think the offshores alone, without us to do the hard stuff and clean up their messes, could cut it and keep the hospitals happy? I think not. Food for thought.
The construction workers are not all
People in the construction business do require certain licenses. They are not all uneducated making $30.00 an hour.
New MTs should be on this board so they can get a reality check. If you plan to stay in this field, just be cautioned that will not make more unless you transcribe more lines and put in more hours. That's the bottom line and I'm speaking from 20 years of experience and I'm in my late 30s still raising two children along with my husband.
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