Unit secretary will help somewhat with terms, meds, and learning the flow of the shift, but it won&#
Posted By: help your "nursing" much. nm Also LPN on 2007-03-12
In Reply to: Torn between two jobs - MT 2 RN
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- Torn between two jobs - MT 2 RN
- Unit secretary will help somewhat with terms, meds, and learning the flow of the shift, but it won&# - help your "nursing" much. nm Also LPN
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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!! 
I agree with Former Unit Secretary sm
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
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!!
Care Flow
Is is a productive platform? Any info good or bad on this platform is appreciated. Thanks
You are talking about doing over flow...
work as a service, for a hospital. That's not the same as being an employee. I work for a hospital and we are ALL at home except for the boss and whoever might be training to go home. We all access the same server to download our work. We set our voice wave for "the pool" and we all get what may come. Nobody is picking our work. We only get 2 or 3 jobs at a time, send one back, get one more, all day long. We DO send overflow out to a service, but only clinic notes. I think the original poster is talking about being an employee, not an overflow person.
The Downhill Flow
I am so sorry you are having to put up with this. It's a crying shame. We who have the most experience and make the company and the doctor look good are the very ones who are dumped on with horse pucky the most. I might add, however, that this is the very reason that I have decided not to stay in the business for much longer, and I tell EVERY NEWBIE I EVERY COME ACROSS, LOUD AND CLEAR, RUN! DON'T START THIS PROFESSION! I tell them they will never get the respect or the dollars they deserve. Too bad for us, we found this out too late. At least I can warn the up and comers. Again, if you are looking for sympathy, you got it, sister!
Work flow
Anyone work anywhere w/primary accounts!!! Switching accounts 3-4 times a day....going crazy
What about my cash flow problem?
She owes me for 2 weeks work.
Work flow is excellent but it has its
up and down seasons. I am full time so the slow season does not affect me as much as it affects others as they really take care of their FT MTs.
They have a LOT of radiology accounts so if you are a radiology whiz, you will make great money.
I am on an account that is not overflow, it is the whole account, which might make a difference, but I know that there are about a dozen new radiology accounts starting in the next few weeks.
I have found that if I ask them questions, they answer them, which I did NOT have at my last company. That is how I found out about the new benefits and new accounts. They are also open to suggestions from the MTs which makes me feel like a valued member of a team rather than a number (I worked for the biggest until I made the move). I am just excited because one of my ideas was put into place and I actually got a thank you call and email. At the other one, I was afraid to rock the boat.
I use RadNet on one account and Meditech (Word version) on another but there are a lot of platforms from what I understand.
How's work flow going today?
No work with MQ and just checking to see how others are doing with January work flow. 
I'll just leave it at that, why swim against the flow
arguing with women who need all this procedures.
This is actually all so bad for women who really keep their good looks up to their 60s,even 70s, because then not so lucky women say enviously, 'Oh, she had plastic work done!' even if it is not true.
IC to medical secretary
 Thanks everyone for your input. I have a lot to consider and you all have been a great help.
It's your work flow that's such a drag, not you or your software. Wow! Sounds like an
s
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
This is one of the terms...sm
...that seems to have changed. I always put "metacarpophalangeal" before, but almost every doc I transcribe for these days says, very clearly "metacarpal phalangeal." I put the hyphen in because the words should be connected and that is the only way I can do it without changing what the doctor says.
Your book may list "carpophalangeal" as a word, but I am a former x-ray tech and I can tell you that none of the carpal bones attach directly to the phalanges. There is a metacarpal between the carpal bones and the phalanges. If you will look at a hand x-ray, there is a good 2-3" or more (filled by the metacarpal) between the carpal bones and the proximal phalanx of each digit.
That's why you can't depend solely on "word books." If they don't have a definition, you cannot be sure they are correct.
There isn't really a need to take med terms now
I'm not sure there is a need to take med terms before starting MT school. It will be part of your course.
If you are thinking that it will help you decide if you'd like MT, it might not. MT isn't med terms. Med terms is something that you need to know to do MT, but taking med terms might not tell you if you'll enjoy MT. Med terms classes at community colleges are often very boring, frustrating, and impossible. Students' grades are often unnecessarily low because a lot of schools use that class to weed out students who want to take nursing and health information management. They might use a book that isn't very good, too. You don't want that making you think you'll hate MT or that you don't have the ability for it.
When we teach it, we LIKE teaching it and we don't try to flunk people out with it. :)
Do you type really well? Without thinking? Or, at least, do you type 45 wpm without hating it?
Do you love to read? Do you consider yourself to be a good reader? Do you like to write? Do you read and/or write for pleasure?
Does medical stuff fascinate you? Do you enjoy watching medical science shows on TV? The ones with the operations? Do you enjoy reading medical websites and books?
Are you very, very detail oriented? Does your work, whatever it is, need to be just so? Have you always wanted to do the very best work for others?
Those things are better indicators of success in MT than a med terms class.
If you'd like to get a feel for MT, try typing up some practice reports. There are sample operative reports over on www.mtdesk.com. Type them over and over, noting the way they seem to be following style rules in the way they're done. You can also go to www.merck.com and type up some material from chapters of the Merck Manual for physicians. There is a manual there for lay people, too. If you enjoy reading it, that's a good sign.
You might have other reasons for wanting to take those classes that I don't know about, but I did want you to know that it's probably not necessary or useful to take med terms in advance!
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.
Radiology terms A-Z
- abduction
- activity
- adduction
- air-fluid level
- airborne radioactivity
- angiocardiogram
- anteroposterior
- arteriogram
- arthrogram
- atom
- atomic mass
- atomic mass unit
- atomic number
- attenuation
- betatron
- Becquerel (Bq)
- binding energy
- Bohler calcaneal angle
- brachytherapy
- build-up
- cardiothymic silhouette (on chest x-ray)
- cholangiogram
- cholecystogram
- cineradiography
- Compton effect
- computed tomography
- contrast studies
- curie
- echocardiography
- electron volt (eV)
- electrostatic field
- element
- eversion
- excited state
- exposure
- extension
- film badge
- flexion
- fluence, particle
- fluorescence
- fluoroscopy
- gamma camera
- genetically significant dose (GSD)
- gray (Gy)
- ground state
- half value layer
- half-life
- hysterosalpingogram
- in vitro
- in vivo
- interstitial therapy
- interventional radiology
- intracavitary therapy
- inversion
- ion
- ionization
- ionization
- ionizing radiation
- irradiation
- isobars
- isomers
- isotones
- isotope
- Kerley('s) [s/l curly] A, B, or C lines
- Kerma
- lateral decubitus
- lethal
- linear accelerator
- linear energy transfer (LET)
- lymphangiogram
- magnetic resonance imaging
- mass attenuation coefficient
- mass effect
- mass energy absorption coefficient
- mass stopping power
- megavoltage
- mucositis
- myelogram
- myelosuppression
- nuclear medicine
- nucleon
- nuclide
- oblique
- pair production
- palliative
- perfusion studies
- photoelectric effect
- positron-emission tomography
- posteroanterior
- prone
- pyelogram
- rad
- radiation
- radioactive contamination
- radioactive decay
- radioactive equilibrium
- radioimmunoassay
- radioisotope
- radiology
- radiolucent
- radionuclide
- radiopaque
- radiopharmaceutical
- radioresistant
- radiosensitive
- radiotherapy
- recumbent
- rem
- roentgen (R)
- roentgenology
- scintillation camera
- sestamibi
- SI
- Sievert (Sv)
- sonogram
- specific activity
- specific ionization
- stopping power
- supine
- teletherapy
- tenth-value layer (or thickness)
- therapeutic
- tomography
- tracer studies
- tram tracking (on chest x-ray)
- ultrasonography
- ultrasound
- uptake
- venogram
- ventilation studies
Links for terms
Try this link...it has almost anything you might need.
http://home.adelphia.net/~ktm58/links.html
surgical terms
Why don't you invest in ref. books? Trying to do this job without them is like trying to build a house without a hammer for goodness sake. I don't understand you people - always looking for top pay and taking the cheap way out to do your job without proper tools.
or in layman's terms
making sense out of nonsense that the doctor's dictate.
Here's one with a lot of terms/glossaries.
http://www.mtdesk.com/frame.php?frame=glossary
Psych terms...thank you!
I have put this on my favorites and will check it out further.....I appreciate your response:)
with what you are getting in terms of payment...
Then outsources like us are getting ripped off...
I barely make $5 for 8 hours.. you think that's fair. .. cause I sure *&%# don't.
You are confusing your terms.
Software is the computer interface that allows you to perform a certain task, in this case, FTP software allows your computer to connect to an FTP site. If you're looking for an FTP site that is secure, you will more than likely have to pay for it. You can try www.ftptogo.com, although it is not free, it is a good site.
Opthamology Terms
I am testing for a company and I need a good website with Opthamology terminology?
Thanks 
MT911 has some terms
and medications for oncology
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