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I am a bit computer dumb, but what would I need with a laptop to work while at the hospital with my

Posted By: dad - wireless, pedal? nm on 2006-03-15
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nm


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Anybody here work only on a laptop and not use desktop computer at all?
Does it drive you crazy with the small keyboard and small screen? Maybe it's something you get used to and compensate for when working. I'm considering getting a laptop just for work to keep things separate but looking for pros and cons of this. I figured somebody on the board has some advice on this.
I work for a hospital from home on my computer and they do this too. sm
I was told that it is becoming more and more common to see this happen as the internet can open the hospital to too many vulnerabilities. It's my computer but I am on their clock, so I am OK with it. I prefer my books to internet research though so it is not so bad for me.

Good luck with this.
Nope, my computer is owned by the hospital I work for, and does not even
x
A computer is a computer, whether it be laptop or desktop.
I have both and use both and I bought both of mine...most companies do not provide computers...
LAPTOP COMPUTER
I am thinking seriously of switching to a laptop computer and getting the DocQScribe platform put on it.  I lost a lot of money from Hurricane Katrina and am still losing money as I still cannot type as I have cable high speed and it is not up and running. Will most likely switch to Bell South high speed and go from there but was just wondering if anyone had a problem with the program being loaded on a laptop or anyother national for that matter.   I could have worked for 3 weeks while in a hotel if I would have had a laptop.  Do not want to get caught in that position again.  If you are working from a laptop, is there anything else that I would need to hook up in a hotel room and which kind of laptop do you recommended?  Appreciate any and all answers that I receive.
Need information about laptop computer for MT sm

Exactly what do I need to look for in a laptop.  I have an ill family member which requires me to be more mobile.  Ram?  Hard drive?  How many ports?  Do you like any particular brand - I lean towards Dell, but am certainly not a diehard Dell fan. 


Any tips you might have would be appreciated.


 


Thak you


Wondering about a laptop computer
and how is it to use with transcription.  Anybody use a laptop in their job.  Am I right, laptop or lap-top, or lap top???
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.


 


using desktop computer mobile as a laptop

Anyone have an idea about using a desktop computer as a laptop?  I am wanting to take a roadtrip and I had a laptop that has a cracked monitor screen that I used a Belkin wireless internet PCI card in the side of it with WiFi internet connection.  Is there a way to use my physical harddrive and establish the same wireless internet connection with WiFi?  I do not have the same port that the laptop has on my harddrive that the Belkin wireless card fit into, but is there another card that plugs into the desktop harddrive that will have the same effect?  Thank you all.


 


Has anyone tried accessing your own home computer from a laptop remotely with PC Anywhere or similar

I'm wondering if this is possible instead of having to install everything on my laptop to work remotely.  It would be nice if I could hook up to my home PC with my laptop and am wondering if there is a program that would allow me to do so or do I have to re-install everything on my laptop to work remotely.


I have auto corrects, medical spell check, medical dictionary, etc., that I would need on both computers.


TIA


I work on Escription platform and the adapter didnt work for me. I tried it on my laptop though
and the foot pedal would just not play correctly with the adapter. I think others have tried it and done it but it just didnt work for me.
"How dumb am I" to lose a CD-ROM? Oh, about as dumb as the rest of us. nm
x
Have a hospital I work for and they consistently change work types and do line counts. (sm)
Management just doesn't understand in order to crank out the work you need to be proficient by typing the same accounts. Go figure, they just don't get it ??
the hospital I work for already has started to implement this and lessen our work
I see it every single day... they are going to EMR... meaning the doctors simply use a template already in the computer and check boxes or something... The doctor's office i GO TO actually does this too. This is why it creates tech jobs to create those templates and takes AWAY MT jobs because the doctor is no longer dictating, they are just pushing little buttons or checking boxes straight into the computer.

Personally I still think that is more time than the doc wants to take but whatever, i dont see how generic charts are good, what happened to detailed information...

But this is definitely how i see it going along. Maybe not everywhere, but plenty of places are going to go to this, it's all about saving money now isn't it???


I work from a laptop on DQS
We travel back and forth between our main home and a cabin. It works fine. I got all kinds of help from another poster on this board before I bought and then did a lot of research on the internet. DQS loads just dandy. Just make sure you get a fairly powerful processor and plenty of memory and storage. Also you'll need several kinds of ports to accommodate an external keyboard, foot pedal and mouse. Mine came with all these. It's an HP with an AMD-64 processor. Very very happy with it!
i have a laptop so i can still work on
battery back up, but i still unplug everything and wait it out.  it's not worth the risk because it only takes once and you lose everything.  i'm in the midwest with tornados going through right now....i couldn't live without my laptop and battery back up!
Anyone work on laptop?
Wondering if any MT's work on laptop versus desktop computer?
Does anyone use a laptop for work?
Do you like it? My PC is about to take a dump and Im gonna have to find something else to take its place. My friend has a laptop I can borrow. Everything new has Vista and work has advised us not to upgrade to Vista at present.
About laptop for MT work..sm

i just got a very nice, widescreen laptop for work. I have medical issues and could not withstand working at my desk any longer. People are telling me that it won't last for MT work becuase the keyboard is not durable enough. Well, i still use my ergo keyboard hooked up and i only use the laptop keyboard for work when I am completing my work for about 2 to 3 hours at night. My question is, has any of you ever had a laptop keyboard go bad with MT work?

I hope not, took me years to even afford this one. :)


About laptop for MT work

I have been using laptops (first one was a notebook) for about 10 years. The one I have now is over 4 years old and doing fine. I too, use an external keyboard. I wouldn't have anything else.
Using Laptop for Work

Yes, the keypad in the laptop is not designed for typing work and it is VERY costly if need to be changed.  So, you can hook up an USB keyboard and optical mouse with your laptop's USB port.


 


 


You CAN work in bed on a laptop
Okay, so maybe I'm the last laptop MT out there who just discovered this but I've figured out how to work from bed on days when I'm struggling physically (I have RA). I have propped my foot pedal on a pillow under my elbow/forearm, and gently lean on it while I type. MUCH better! Just wanted to pass that wisdom on in case there was anyone else out there that could be helped by this.
No - no laptop - no computers and no work
I'm just going to leave - and try to relax and work this out. I have no support at home with this, so I am sure it will be at least a day before anyone at home will realize that I am not there. Probably when someone needs me to do something - it will be hey - where's mom - I thought she was just going to the store. My husband has been in the garage today with his brother and another guy since about 9:00 a.m. - and it is hot here. Thanks for everyone's support. The rest of my immediate family is dead or I am sure that they would help me with this. That is why I have to go somewhere on my own, since I don't have any family to help me.
I work outside with my laptop with no problems.
I also have a Sprint USB wireless card and can work anywhere I get a signal, which for me is basically everywhere I travel. I purchased a 9-cell battery and get approximately 6 hours of work time. I use Express Scribe for work and I just use the hotkeys and I don't need to use a footpedal. All my resources are electronic and are downloaded onto my laptop.

While I still prefer to work at a desk as I am more productive when working at my desk, it is nice to have the option to work outside when the weather is nice or if my kids want to go outside to play.
How many of you use a Laptop solely for work? nm
xx
If you work for a hospital - how come no one from the hospital
called you?? Were they in the dark, as well?? How sad, that no one in your hospital communicates with the at home staff.
Depends on what kind of hospital? Large urban hospital or small community hospital? SM

Also, is it a large teaching hospital? If so you have to consider there will be A LOT of different residents dictating, usually a lot of ESLs at teaching hospitals, and the residents rotate out and new ones rotate in every summer. So you can't expect to get the same dictators and build up your macros because the dictators change all the time.


I would say 9 cpl would be a pretty good offer for a small to medium community hospital where you will be doing the same dictators on a daily basis.  But for bigger, urban or teaching hospitals I would want at least 12 to 15 cpl. 


Laptop/notebook recommendations for transcription work?

I am going to get a laptop/notebook in about a month and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for one that seems to work well with transcription.  I need to know specifics like hard drive, RAM, memory, model number, etc.  Thanks in advance


Doesn't work with "wireless" - my laptop is wireless sm
And my tower is wireless, does this mean I can't use it at all? Sorry to be so uninformed was looking forward to the 2 computers,1 screen and keyboard. ???
Thanks! It sounds like an air card can also work between desktop and laptop
Thanks so much for all this info...It sounds like you can get air cards that plug into USB ports that you can interchange between your desktop computer and your laptop for on-the-go or if there were a power outage. Am pretty low tech but seriously considering this. A lot would depend on the dependability of the signal from my home. If it were steady, I would consider cutting (ha ha) the cable internet which is 48$ plus taxes and just have the broadband (60$ ?) which I could use with my desktop computer or take with me using a laptop and also could use with a laptop in case of power outage. hmmmmmm
Last year we went to Disney and I work on a laptop so I brought it and didn't
take any time off so I could work. After much probing, calling, and trying to set up my internet (I made sure the hotel had wireless or I wouldn't book it), I finally got on line, but it was the night before we had to leave anyway.
I absolutely love my Dell laptop because of the flexibility and I can work on the dining table, office, kids room, etc. I can't imagine ever going back to a desktop PC.
But, you never know when you travel if 100% you will be able to get online.
Does anyone use laptop & cell phone/Internet Card for work?

I am not real computer literate but am wondering if I couldn't get unlimited Internet with a cell phone plan and use that for my on-line job/Internet connection exclusively. I have found plans for around $70/month.


If so, I was thinking too I could possibly give up my land line phone, Callwave, my dial-up ISP (as that is all we have available where live) and actually save a little money by doing so. I don't make/receive a lot of land line calls and I have a TracFone cell phone that I don't use much now. I get excellent reception with that where I live. We have a huge tower within walking distance of where I live but we live out in the "sticks". :D I know my connection would be dependent on the reception where I live and the cell phone service I would use. I am not sure which one truly has the best coverage and/or who may be using the tower by our home but TracFone apparently does. :)


TIA. 


That's strange I bought the adapter but couldnt get it to work right. Maybe cuz it was a laptop..
I'll have to try it again. I just could not get it to work right. I would get sound but then it would freeze up.
So you can work completely remote on a laptop and access your home PC with this program

please e-mail me with more info if you can.  thx


I work for a hospital and can do in less (sm)
than 8 hours (65-char line).  Are you sure you mean per week?
Actually, I do work for a hospital now
and there are 8 of us who work from home. BUT, they have begun to do things the way the "services" do (NAMELY MQ). They stopped counting our spaces, and so forth, because it is "the trend".

Even the hospital MTs are not as safe as they used to be. We are the only hospital left in my area that has not outsourced yet, and anytime we complain about our pay being reduced (which has been several times in the past five years), we are threatened with outsourcing.

So, it probably is a good idea to start thinking of a change.
I do work for a hospital
that is the position that will be going fulltime. It is 28 hours a week now. I work at home for this very large Level 1 trauma hospital right now doing radiology. I have insurance, I have short term disability through them. I have one national as a sideline, and another local clinic as a sideline.
Well then don't come work for my hospital because...
if you type something for one of your co-workers, you have violated the confidentiality agreement signed when you were hired.  I've typed celebrity reports too when I worked for a national, that's different.  If it were the other way around would you like a casual acquaintance to know all your business?  I wouldn't.  I have the same respect that I would want.  There's 23 other MTs in my hospital.  I don't NEED to type a medical report on my children's elementary school principal (happened a few months ago).  So, get off your attitude.
I work in a hospital and sometimes we have had - (s/m)
"blanket" messages on our blackboard - or in memos - meant for one or two, even those of us who work our tails off have to read it and feel chastised. It's very demoralizing. Next time I get one of those nasty memos or emails, I intend to tell the boss that if he thinks I'm so lazy, then he can just pry his fat arse out of his genuine leather easy-chair, turn off the computer games he plays all day long, and type the #*%<)!@% work himself.
I work in a hospital
in a city with a population of like 4000 people, it is only a 23-bed hospital and I started working here a year and 1/2 ago. I make a little over $12/hr. For this area, this is great pay for any kind of job if you don't have a bachelor's degree. My mom is an LPN/office manager in a clinic owned by the hopstial and she is only making like $4/hr more than I am.
The hospital I work for will
Well some people can get away with it, others get dropped.  Why I am looking elsewhere. 
I did work for a hospital that used one of those.

They called it a 'CryptoCard' and it was about the size of a credit card.  You needed it to log onto their system--whatever number was displayed was the log-in number you were to use at that time.  It always changed....security precautions.  I never paid for it, but had to return it when the company lost that account....dumb bastids...was a great account.



the hospital I work for does that too.
They call it a Biometric Screening. When you enroll you have all the lab work done that you need.Glucose, lipids, TSH, triglycerides, etc. You also get a reduction in your health insurance premiums per pay period. Depending on what you participate in, you can also get up to $300 back at the end of the program.They have smoking cessation incentives, exercise incentives, etc. It runs from September to September. Pays usually in January, or midway through. You also get discounts on different classes that are offered, ie pilates, yoga, circuit, etc. For a reduction in my health insurance, I think it is well worth it. And I haven't heard of anybody being popped for drugs of abuse or anything like that.
When I used to work for the hospital, the ones of
us with equipment at home contracted with the hospital and worked our "second job" for the hospital to do the work when we were behind. You might ask them about that.
Hospital work
From someone who worked in a hospital first and then worked at home, sometimes in a hospital you end up doing other duties like correcting someone's else's reports because they are not there that day, or are working another shift, re-printing reports, sometimes the nursing floors or even physician calls with problems with the report (usually they are irate and blame any and every problem on transcription).   You have meetings which interfere with your ability to transcribe.  You have to be on alert for Department of Health visits.   I could go on and on.  Your line count sufferes.  Unless you get paid by the hour and get paid well, it is more trouble than it is worth.
hospital work
I got most of my first work experience at a hospital when i had no idea what i was doing. They never gave me any feedback or nothing and was there 2 and a half years. And I got paid for not knowing what i was doing. I had only had a few courses of medical terminology and they hired me in. It was a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Hospitals today though are more competitive, (my experience was over 25 years ago). So you might learn more stepping stones by working at the hospital. (i drove over 55 miles to that hospital job just to get experience in the field).
going to the hospital won't work sm
thought because we as MTs sign contracts etc etc when we work for these companies. If we go behind the company back and approach the hospitals/facilities, we can be in all kinds of legal troubles with the company itself. The rest I agree with but people have got to stick together.

Kind of goes back to 30 years ago and the big unions huh? People stuck together they got things done and working conditions improved. People busted the unions and you see what has happened over the years.

Coming from a HUGE union state (Michigan---that ought to get a few riled), I have seen what has happened when the unions are "busted." I also now live in a southern state and see what goes on here when there are no unions and folks don't stick together.

There has got to be a solution for this and I for one am willing to sign on to whatever it takes to get the job done.
As in hospital work,
discharge summaries, operative reports, consultations and history and physical.
I have one work computer (sm)

in a  corner of the living room at my real desk (with places to put reference books and such) and one on the dining room table until I can get another desk. It's Grand Central Station. Have learned to concentrate while blips and bleeps and music are coming from PC on which son is playing.   First thing people notice when they come in is the unusual number of computers in one place.


I work 2 and use my own computer, so yes
they are both on the same computer. However, if you are using a company-furnished computer, you CANNOT work your second job on that computer.
I work for a hospital 6 states away. SM

I have a physician list and I have a website to look for other doctors. But how can they expect me to know how to spell patients' names? They can't. I have a disclaimer at the top of my log sheet that says common or phonetic spellings will be used where patient name spellings are not provided.


That was the thing that held me up when I worked "live" from home for a hospital. All that diddling around finding out whether it was "Kathy" or "Cathy"  -- I don't do that any longer and you're right, it makes a HUGE difference.