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another nurse turned MT already sm

Posted By: long time MT on 2009-08-26
In Reply to: I just started working about 3 months ago - wannie

complaining about the hours, job, etc. If you liked the hours as a nurse, go back to being a nurse.

Geeze I get so tired of everybody in every profession wanting to switch to MTing just to work at home!


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Sue, a former nurse AND can do over 600? SM
I'm impressed. Regarding your last point, a little present:

For VR, use your expander's ability to record your Keystrokes to set up macros for all the corrections you typically do, both of words and punctuation. Especially punctuation.

If you jump from word to word, you end up on the next word when you need to insert a comma behind, right? So enter the keystrokes you use to do this in your expander: backspace-comma-space (to return to the first letter of the next word). Then give that macro a 1-keystroke name. Then start doing the same for all the typical and more involved corrections you do. Copy macros you can't make yourself from others.

You're going to find your Expander incredibly helpful, and I'm guessing you'll be breaking 600 typically.
MT vs nurse

Believe it or not, I would rather work at home as an MT for $10 an hour than ever again work in a hospital as an RN, even if the pay exceeded $25 per hour. 


My computer doesn't bleed, and 15 jobs don't demand/require my attention all at once.  I still only work on one report at a time. 


In other words, as an MT, no one is depending on me for their very survival, and I rejoice that I no longer have to depend on a broken system or other individuals to provide my patient the care he/she needs. 


Even for those hospital systems that claim to be not-for-profit, the bottom line and top priority is profit.  Therefore, they plan to run on as few individuals as the laws will allow.  Short-staffing and overwork was a fact of life at every hospital that I ever worked.  Home care had its own challenges. 


Again, my computer gives me relatively little trouble when compared to my experiences as a nurse working face-to-face with sick and needy people in a sick system that does not always provide what the patient needs when the patient needs it.  The money may sound enticing, but the reality was extreme frustration for this nurse!!


 


 


Nurse practitioner?
Unless the nurse practitioner is shadowing the doctor, which they usually have their own schedules to follow, how can she accurately dictate his patients??? Great suggestion though?
You are right, not a nurse, never wanted to be one
because my math lacks a lot but always good with spelling and fast typist so MTing was something that fit right in with me. Having said that, why do you stay with this profession if unhappy? I have made as much as a nurse in years past but like everyone else in this job, the pay fell. I have worked Christmas Day but I usually plan to either work very early and take off later for family dinner or if I had young children I would work later in the day or with TTS the last year worked early Thanksgiving and took off Christmas. Most jobs out there are a lot less bending than ours. I worked so many years out in the regular places am glad to work at home, finally.
So you saying you're "still" a nurse then, SD?
LOL
...or when a nurse is dictating for doctor...

and he doesn't know how to pause dictation.  Last week I listened to four 30 minute dictations with only about 100 lines to show for it!  Finally the office taught him how to use the system!  Rookies ARGHHH!



nurse ratchett (not sure of spelling)
xxx
As Nurse Diesel (love that name) indicates, SM
the number of lines required really isn't that high to reach the incentive level, but you have to produce them on what I presume are the four highest-volume days of the week. Also, Webmedx provides all MTs with the ShortHand Expander program, classes in using it and developing other productivity skills, experts for personal one-on-one help, MT forums for sharing abbreviations and tips, and other help and encouragement designed to bring those line counts and paychecks up.
Hey Nurse Diesel!! I just wanted to thank
I love your posts and do recognize you when I browse these forums.  I keep a constant eye on the Company Forum, keeping track of good company reviews versus bad, etc.  I just wanted to thank you for coming back on and giving an honest update of your situation.  I used to love my old MTSO, and gave glowing reviews, which were true of  my personal situation, but when things went sour on me, I also tried to share that experience as well. It really helps potential MTs in getting a truthful outlook of a company, rather than just the emotional trashing posts or emotional praising posts.  Not saying you ever did that, just trying to point out to others the flavor of some posts. It also lets others know that they are not alone in their ups and downs with a particular company.  Things are just so unpredictable, even within 1 MTSO. One MT is having their heyday, while another MT on the same account is hemorrhaging $$ due to no work. Its just so bizarre these days.  I had thought of Webmedx for a while, fell for the old employer of the year stuff. But I was not accepted as the recruiter doesn't like me from a past experience at another company, and while I understood on 1 hand, it honestly wasn't fair, and I thought I was missing out on perfection. Their loss, though, not mine. I had my choice of employers, and went with my other first choice.  I am so glad that I was rejected at Webmedx, as no work situations would have killed me, not acceptable at all in my boat!   So, sometimes rejection comes with a silver lining!  And the company I went with, while it had been touted for years as the BEST MTSO in the world, well.... it sure is lacking. Looking back over the years at the posts, there were 1 or 2 poor MTs who would try to share a negative experience with this company, and they would be crucified, with  the usual blame that they must be lowsy MTs. Well, truth be told, the ones with bad experiences were telling the absolute truth, probably even minimizing their plight, and this company is no more a wonderful company to work for than the next MTSO.  I am so depressed about our industry, but I do take comfort that I am not alone in my struggles - I am a top notch professional MT, but this nonsense of no work, etc., just cannot be avoided it seems, by any of us.  It has been a humbling experience, as I honestly used to read posts about MTs with no work,and somehow I felt that in some way it had to be the MT. Maybe they only worked the 5th Tuesday of each month, maybe they only typed Consults, etc.  So I have learned that skill seems to have nothing to do with anything anymore. The job itself and then the work versus no work, versus work type seems to be just a plain old crap shoot, plain and simple. I may as well spend my days down the street in Vegas, gambling at the casinos! At least I could count on free drinks!   Well, again, thanks for sharing your experiences, calmly and honestly, both the good and the bad.  It makes at least this MT feel like I am not alone in these trying times. 
I wonder if an MT can make as much money as a RN nurse? Curious about that
and wondering
Nurse and exMQ pretty much illustrate SM
the range of possibilities. The rate is high, but it's not a gift--you need to be a good producer for those nice chunks of change to show up in your bank account.
Someone understands my Nurse Diesel reference! Yay! LOL nm
x
I was turned down

by TRX because I am not a member of the AKC. Disappointed.


 


I turned them down too
Took a job that paid more. 7.75 cpl was just way too much of a pay cut for me.
I know someone who turned them down
recently because of the low pay. I guess they sent her a contract anyway and didn't even acknowledge that she very clearly stated that she will not work for anyone for that line rate. Then they sent her an email wanting to know why she hadn't filled it out and returned it. Not the brightest bulb in the bunch??
I was turned off of them because..
I applied, immediately heard back and asked to test immediately because they were in a big hurry to fill the positions and liked my resume. I did this and then...NOTHING.. not the courtesy of even telling me I passed or didn't pass (honestly this test was so easy that I would have been shocked if I didnt pass). I even did a follow email to see what was going on and they never even acknowledged me in any shape or form. In my eyes, this is total unprofessionalism and gives me a bird's eye view how they handle their business. No thanks. I moved on.
Turned another one down...
I received another offer today of 8 cpl (from a popular MTSO), no matter the level of experience. Seriously??? So, I would be paid the same rate as a newbie, and I have 22 years of HARD-EARNED experience? I think not. I am going to keep sending in my resume and I'll keep turning them down if they remain low. I may be but a single voice, but it will be heard. They should be ashamed. I made more than 8 cpl when I first started. There's no way I'd go back to lower than that at this point in my career. I'm too good for that.
They tried but KS turned them down. sm
They were not happy when the owners turned them down, but from what I understand, they do socialize together.

The owners of KS are very open about being aggressive with growth and want to be at $50 million. With the way they grow every year, I bet it will happen sooner than later.

I am glad to work for a company that is growing. The MQ and Spheris annual reports are very scary. How can they stay in business with losing millions every year?
be glad you turned it down (sm)
The Baltimore office's "big" oncology account is MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. To be cleared to work on the account you have to train for weeks with this PA person (not MT, no background in English, etc.) who is comma crazy and keeps changing her mind. Reminds me of OmegaWorst's QA -- people who have never properly learned grammar and syntax, provide no printed style guide, and nit-pick to death. Think the docs care whether there is or is not a comma after the last item in the series?
That's interesting! I just turned SS
xx
The thread turned and

and drifted to another company.  It's not your fault, and it's easy to see how you could have taken it the way you did.  (As an aside, I totally understand and empathize with the late nights!!!)  


And I agree with what you said.  It is very helpful to express good experiences with a company.  However, I'm not going to do that unless I've been with a company for a minimum of 1-1/2 years.


I don't know how long you've been with FN.  I can only speak from my own experience, and I came here before as a newbie, bragging about how great a company was, only to discover months later that the negative comments I responded to were completely accurate and warranted, and now I have egg on my face.  ~LOL~


I won't ever post a positive post about a company until well after the honeymoon period, when I'm certain they're for real, even though I know how tempting it is when you think you've struck gold and found the right company, getting good line counts, making lots of money, etc., to want to share that positive experience with the world!


Sometimes I think that's part of the company's reason for the honeymoon period:  So the employees will think the company is so great, they happily and unwittingly become a PR person for the company.


I've recently been burned pretty badly by the company the above poster was referring to, so that's why I responded.  Even though she didn't mention any specific names, those of us who are employed by that company know exactly who she was talking about.


Again, I apologize for confusing the issue.  I totally believe everything you said about FN, and I'm glad you found a company that makes you want to defend it.  There's nothing better than being able to respect and trust your employer.  I hope someday I can find that kind of company, and I just might check FN, based on your comments.


I turned them down for same reason.

As they should have turned you down. Medware has
some hard accounts so even 96% is low. Most companies require 98% accuracy on testing.
I turned them down after seeing the pay scale

I did send them an email and explain that my expectations for transcribing all work types in acute care would be 10 cpl.  They start out at 6.  That's a canyon of difference!


It also bothered me that pay is based on which shift you work.  It seems to me that goes into the gray area of IRS guidelines of control for employee versus IC status.  I need to work split shifts.  Also, I am more inclined to work when there is work and if there is no work during my shift, how can I make money?  I asked if they could negotiate some of these issues with me and they stopped communicating with me.  I'm glad I went with my instinct and did find someone else who gives me the flexibility, line rate and work types I wanted.


Glad you turned them down!! More of us need to do that. NM
jkj
I turned down a job with them about 6 months ago
They only offered me a little under 8 cpl. I went with another company that paid more.
Is this the same one that turned out to be Transcend?
.
It's still 8 cpl. I turned down a position with
Too evasive in their answers to my questions and not willing to take the time to talk with me.
Turned it down after getting contract...sm
There were 2 objectionable sections to me. One indicated pay for QA but on further questioning, there were no specifics given on what would be considered necessary for pay or how much it would be. The other was a charge for tech support. On further questioning, they indicated why and under what circumstances, but wouldn't put it in the contract. I wouldn't sign it since those 2 items were so vague.
Please come back soon to let us know how it turned out..
I contemplated applying several months ago but had received two separate NON-encouraging reviews. I believe they were honest and straightforward because they both still worked there and were not your typical disgruntled workers. One noted that QA was brutal and it most days it was just not worth it and another noted that she struggled every day to meet her line count but she felt too old to start over anywhere so she intended on staying. If I were at a different point in my life, I would have just gone for it, but after having been through too many similiar depressing situations, it was enough to deter me from applying. So, I am interested to see what new people are having to say and get more perspectives. Thanks.
If just one MT turned an MTSO in and it was....sm
found out by other MTSOs I would hope/think this type of thing would decrease. If we ALL sit back and nobody does anything, yes it will continue. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I know of a couple of MTSOs who should be turned in - and I WILL!
Yeh. It turned out to be statistically different than
just headers and footers. Could not ever get a straight answer on the calculations. It was a shame, though. Maybe if communication were better, I would have known not to accept the position to begin with. Hindsight and all that.
SmartMed- what turned me off was
for blanks you have to document 3 sources where you looked, then send to the QA person, and when they find it they will send it back for you to fill in. Too time consuming, especially when they assign you to a tough teaching hospital with a lot of ESL and fast talkers. Other than that 10 cpl with spaces identified as 1 space between words and 2 spaces at colon or period, which I guess means no pay for space if you hit the space bar to double space or whatever.
turned them down a few weeks ago
Glad I did from what I have read here. I am much happier at QMedET
I turned them down about a month ago
Once that whole thing came out about having to go to New Jersey, I said no thanks.

I live in Kansas. I have been to NJ twice in my younger years, and have found nothing that interesting worth going back!
yes they should be turned in. Years sm
ago MQ/TL was IC status. They did the same thing and they had to go to SE status because the IRS made them do it. Best thing that ever happened. Things were great until they started off-shoring and it went down the tubes. I bet when the folks who are ripping me apart have their jobs sold down the river, they will be complaining and screaming. Personally I say if you want to be a slave and pimp yourself out to a company go for it! Personally MDI is on my list of turn ins.
Well, they have turned into a game...
It's like survival of the fittest, pitting us against each other to get to the work first so we can make our lines, and it's ridiculous. Of course, they're shining like a new penny at the nonexistent TAT because we all dive as soon as a report pops up, but it's NO WAY for a person to have to make a living.

This is why I left on September 1st. First, I do not care to work for Transcend (mini-Q, IMO) and, second, I do not care for their tactics the past few months that have turned us all into blood-thirsty scavengers desperately trying to make ends meet.

And turning it into a battle royale for all MTs cross-trained on all accounts fighting for whatever scraps they deem fit to feed us?

Nope, life's too short and my skills far too valuable for THAT, the ultimate MTSO game-playing orchestration.

I left, now have a great gig FT with a great MTSO who has ample work.

I am a human being, not a catfish, and I refuse to bottom feed like some subhuman entity.

We ALL dserve better than that, IMO.
I turned down a job with Amphion a few months ago
I see they advertise jobs here, and many people have positive things to say about them.  Now I wonder if I should have taken that job.  Can anyone tell me for sure whether they outsource or not?  I'd like to go back and give them a try if they don't since I was offered the job at the time, but I don't know if they would offer me a job again.  Thanks. 
They offered me 8.5 cpl recently, turned them down
because of the offshoring part.  They recently got an account that I had worked on for about 10 years prior to it being lost to MQ and then MQ lost it due to quality issues.  I thought at 8.5 cpl I could make good money (not great pay but few ESL and familiar dictators), but just couldn't do it. 
They offered me a position, but I turned it down.
What the recruiter said and what the team leader said was in direct conflict.  Then there is the question of offshoring.  
Actually I tested well and she offered me a job which I turned down because
she was so hateful and condescending. I wonder if her employer is aware of this. What a nut job!
That is one of the main reasons I turned down
a position with them.  I'm not willing to punch a time clock.  
I have to agree. I had previously turned down 8 cpl but now...
I see where I went wrong. I passed on 8 cpl on an account with NO ESL because I thought 9.5 cpl sounded better. What I did not realize was that 70% of my account would be ESL so I now see that I could have made a lot more taking the 8 cpl. You are slowed down so much with ESL so I agree that you should factor all of that in before you turn down a job.
I'm glad I turned 'em down...
I'm sorry to hear that...last summer, I was in contact with them, they offered me a job and I purchased a pedal from them...something about them just struck me as oogy, though, and I ended up changing my mind and turning them down. So, whew, guess I dodged a bullet.
I was offered a job there, but turned it down just for the pay scale.
The company itself seemed like a great fit and the accounts looked promising, but the starting pay scale, even though you tiered up fairly quickly, was just too low for me. That just seemed like slave wages and I can't feed my family on that for the next 2 months. If it wasn't for the pay scale, I would have jumped right on board though.

i turned in tests, last year. nothing
/
All I know is that they pay horrible, something like 2 cpl or 2.5 cpl for editing VR. I turned them
down. That is slave labor wages. I think they need to try India for that ..LOL No thanks I'm worth more than that.
Now I know why other's don't post. I was trying to help. You turned nasty. sm
Not everyone is cut out to manage accounts, and not everyone knows how to deal with others effectively. This person I was talking about wants to make everyone happy on her own; there is nothing wrong with that. She is going back to straight typing by choice as she does not want to have to deal with scheduling and details. It is not for everyone. It was not meant as bad for her, I was just trying to help you.


same here....was told one thing; turned out to be another.
nm
ExSpeech gets **turned up** and getting better jobs
Also, QA and Transcription Manager can do the same skipping as the MT's can.  I think TM is an MT, also, so she could be transcribing some during high volume times.
Oh, yes, it turned out I didn't need the 1099 after all
Just as said above, when I didn't receive it my accountant just told me to get my own information together and then send the employer a letter telling them that this is how much I earned, this is how much I'm going to claim. I guess I was just letting the OP know that I knew the feeling of not getting a 1099.

To the other poster above, I did get out of there as soon as I could. It was a local MTSO and at that point I was new and even now I didn't want to work for the Nationals so I stayed. The pay was good and as an IC I made my own hours. The only problem basically was the 1099 situation.