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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

MT is usually for medicine. Nursing is a different discipline.

Posted By: nm on 2006-11-14
In Reply to: MT Bashing by nurses - p.o.'d MT

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same way in nursing - men in nursing make more on average than women in nursing and quickly
move into management. Just what we needed.
Gack! Is nursing your idea or his? Nursing is highly demanding and long hours.

I'd check with a college counselor/advisor on programs they have for women over 30 to return to academia and enter new careers.  Then I'd ask to take some career tests to see what your interests are and what you'd be be suited for.  Also, there is scholarship money available for women over 30.  Ask about it.  


Since I've already raised my kids, I'd also like to state that jr. high and high school are the years our kids need us at home the most.  Those are the years they can get into the most trouble if left to themselves.  If he's already 9, why not just enter college part-time to finish in about 6 to 7 years?  But definitely go talk to a college counselor.


It's all about discipline!
I love being by myself too.  I live out in the country and I love not having to drive in the winter (I live in the north).  I get up at 6:00 a.m. and I'm done at 2:30.  Lots of places are full of flexibility.  I love learning I've been doing this job for almost 24 years now and it's great.  You learn a LOT every day!  Like the other gals said though, you have to know your stuff.  I've been working at home now for 10 years and I love it.  I had worked a lot of years in clinic/hospital setting though and built up a lot of experience to be able to be really good at what I do.  Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
But what a shame that the right to discipline has more or less
I was actually investigated by child protection because a teacher reported me for washing my 11 year old daughter's mouth out with soap because she called me a f'ing b****.  All I did was put a spot of dishsoap on her tongue and told her that if she used those words in our house again or if I heard of her using those words again she would get the same.  Those words are not spoken in my home, but they're heard daily by the kids walking by my house on their way to and from school.  The only thing she learned from the whole lesson is that I have no authority and now she can threaten ME.
Work Discipline

How do you stay disciplined while working at home?


 


I have found using "MyTimeManager" helps show how much/how little I have accomplished during the course of the day, but with a 4-year-old running around, it's easy to slack off and get off track. 


 


Just wanted to see how everyone else stays disciplined while working at home :-)


yes working at home takes a lot of discipline

it's sometimes hard to get away from all the distractions (especially if you have no separate room for an office) but if the work is there and we don't do enough of it it's our own fault if the paycheck is small.


Totally agree with separate space, it helps my discipline, also!
Good luck!
I heard on the radio 23 states still have paddling in schools or physical discipline.
Does anyone's kids go to a school district where this is in place?  I was shocked.  I remember hearing rumors in middle school 20 years ago or so that they would paddle you, but I had no idea this was going on.  I was shocked.
MT and medicine in general

The greedy guts smelled the ability to MAKE A PROFIT in the field of medicine


and "there went the neighborhood."


It used to be a sign of respect to be a doctor - now they just work for the company store and are running out the door with the nurses at quitting time - throwing any patient they may be seeing to the winds.  One even told me to hurry up and make up my mind because she had to go pick up her kids at daycare!


And so has medical transcription - some guy in a tie said QUANTITY OF LINES COULD = MUCHO PROFIT...


Of course those people don't care if a few people die along the way because of errors. - well not at least until it's their leg that's amputated by mistake.


 


Going into medicine. I have 2 MT friends
who are already in medical school. One MT I worked with at a large hospital is now an anesthesiologist making about $300K a year. Hahaha Should I hope to do so well. Hahaha

Know 1 who is a psychotherapist now. Know 1 who got her MBA and works in government contracting and 1 who got his MS and works for JCAHO.

Lots of things to do out there! It's much easier to decide what you want to do now that you're experienced in life and know what the real investments and rewards are. I'd go on to commercial flight school if I weren't going into medicine. I have a private license. Would LOVE to be Lear certified! Would love to fly a medical helicopter. You can get funding for those flight programs, too! Not a traditional classroom setup. If I don't get into med school, I may be doing that! Hahaha

Internal Medicine
Are they hiring at all right now?  Let me know.  Am interested in part-time, evenings and weekends.
Unfortunately after paying $140.00 for the medicine (30 days) sm
after two weeks I broke out in hives and had to stop taking it.
"The Language of Medicine" sm
is a very good book and very thorough. I would recommend it highly.
Rehab medicine will include PT, OT, sm
speech therapy, etc.
Well, after all the doctors are only "Practicing" Medicine, right? nm
.
Perhaps, but there will also be no incentive to go into medicine for US docs, SM
when they get out of med school they have debt, will have to set up a practice, pay their staff, etc. What is the incentive if you can earn a limited income.

I say let the free market decide.
I don’t think he would just out of the blue suggest the medicine
Probably you made mention of having had the cervical cancer and that is where the dialogue started, right? As far as the x-ray, think that is being overplayed with that and fertility. Loads of children, females included, have x-rays when younger and do not lose their ability to have children. You sound like you are stressed out, mentioning this and that, xrays, miscarriages, sterility, etc., etc.
My wonderful MD is having to leave medicine sm
Because she can't afford to practice!!! The compensation for primary care docs SUX. The Blues owe her about $60K she can't collect on care she has already provided. The year I was her MT, her practice paid me $3000, it paid her $2500 FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. She literally didn't take home a paycheck all year and took the $2500 at the end when she didn't have to pay it out. In the end, that money went to pay a lawyer to try to collect from the Blues.

I have a very complicated medical history and still have many significant problems. The idea of changing doctors right now makes me sick. I won't have any more choice about that than my doctor has about leaving the profession. She is a wonderful doctor and has cared for me for 20 years. I am sick over this.
Muscle relaxants could help also. I am on migraine medicine too but...
if it is caused by your muscles trapping the occipital nerve, injections would help, both diagnostically and therapeutically. They would then know how to proceed with your next step in treatment. The stimulator was a miracle until the lead wires moved. If the injections do not help, it rules out one type of headache and on to the next. I use Cafergot for my migraines with aura (a whole different headache altogether), but that has been discontinued now. I really wish you luck!
OT: Changing face of veterinary medicine (sm)

Is it only me or has veterinary medicine changed quite a bit over the years to resemble care of humans?  I have cats and absolutely love them but I'm becoming torn between necessary care, preventive care, and just down-right UN-necessary care.  I remember back when animals went to the vet for shots and only when they got sick.  If they were sick, diagnosis and prognosis dictated the next level of care.  And in most cases back then there were no options other than to let nature take its course if something serious/chronic was found. 


I'm now noticing that every time I take one of the cats to the vet's, the doc wants to do "baseline" blood work at least once a year and now wants to see my ten-year-old cat on a twice-yearly basis.  My kitty is healthy as a horse and has had no health problems for ten years.  Why all of a sudden does he need expensive BASELINE lab work and xrays as well as needing to be seen twice a year and have his teeth cleaned twice a year (not cheap)?  It sounds like I'm complaining about the money end versus taking care of my kitty, and I suppose in a sense I am, because this adds up to a whole lot over the course of time.  The doc mentioned the reasons for the lab work (diabetes, thyroid problems, anemia, cancer, etc.)  I'm torn between having the work done and what I would do if anything chronic showed up on the tests.  I love my kitty but don't know if spending lots of money on chronic meds/therapy would be an option when I would have to weigh other expenses against them. 


Food/medicine caught in throat
This very thing happened to me while eating pizza one day - I ended up in the ER because I could not get it out or to go down.  The ER doc ordered a chest x-ray (do not know why) and then sent me home with some Prilosec saying that I had esophagitis.  It was a rainy day - two dogs chased my car home and I was afraid to get out - plus I had my sister's four children that week, besides my own two.  I took a Prilosec and then had to have my husband rush to the pharmacy for some Benadryl - I was allergic to the dye - then, and I don't recommend this, I got a long-handled teaspoon - bent it and stuck it down my throat - retrieving the pizza dough.  I still had esophagitis because my throat was now inflamed from the pizza and the spoon handle - I put the chewed up dough in a ziploc and returned it to the ER for an explanation - of course they thought I was crazy - but you do what you have to do.  I have found that many doctors are either incompetent or on drugs (cocaine, meth, and others that they either sniff or smoke).  That is why there is such a high malpractice rate (but that's another story).  In fact, I see a doctor now who is a drug-abuser - but he prescribes what me or my family needs when we go to see him and we get well - but boy is he high - nice, though.  That's my take on the ibuprofen in your throat.
We come in contact daily with much more true medicine sm

medical problems, diagnoses, treatment, that nurses do.  I question my nurse practitioner, constantly, about why she is prescribing certain medications for me.  She seems to have a lot less knowledge of these medications than I do.  (btw, she resents it). 


It is JCAHO. The most misspelled acronym in medicine! nm
x
Nope. Many years working at the School of Medicine. SM

An MS4 is a med student till June graduation. He's "Mister So-and-So" then in June when he graduates, he's "Doctor So-and-So."


A 4th year resident is something else entirely. He is an R4 (or that's what they call them here). HE is an MD. The MS4 is not an MD.


Normal x-rays, CT scans, nuclear medicine
scans, nuclear medicine procedures and tests, etc. Anything procedure associated with radiology, which can include op reports dictated by the radiology interventionists.
Kids certainly not the reason for me, I loved the field of medicine
I had started working in hospital settings about 10 years before I ever knew about transcribing. Working at a hospital in another section my boss told me since I typed fast she had a friend who worked in MTing at the hospital, they had an opening and you could make extra money the more you typed, the more you could make. Being as my speed was 130-140, thought perfect job for me. I think loving the actual work rather than just doing to stay home is the main reason I have done as long as I have, no burn out for this person.
Oh good grief! No way. The only Dixie I know of is a forensic medicine person...
not a former bank manager.  Maybe there are 2 of them. 
WRONG! A child that has a fear of discipline = a well behaved child.
I have a beautiful, intelligent 11 year old daughter that hasn't had a spanking in 6 or 7 years and probably only 3 her entire life. She is very well behaved and I get compliments on her behavior constantly. When she does get out of line all I have to say is, "Shall I call your father?" Call it what you want, it works. She respects and obeys me and her father. Why??? For fear of the facing the consequences of misbehaving. Having a total lack of fear or respect for authority is exactly what's wrong with Generation X/kids today. I turned out just fine as did my siblings. Why?? Because my parents took "time out" to bust our a$$es whenever we got out of line.

Is that clear enough for you???
or maybe nursing? lol. j/k nm
nm
Nursing to MT?
Has anyone gone from being a nurse to being an MT or know someone who has? Someone asked me about it and I am not sure what to tell them.

Thanks.
I'm looking into nursing as well...sm.
Already have the basic A&P, terminology, medications and proper doses and welcome the chance to try a hands on job now. Plus a recent confidence boost gave me the kick I needed to finally make a decision. Good luck in whatever you decide.
Nursing...........
My brother in law has 3 degrees (in medicine), is 51 years old, and is in nursing school..

Niece is 30 and just finished up nursing school, as did her fiance, who is 33.

Never too late if that's why ya wanna do!! Good luck to you!!!
nursing..
How about medical research as an RN? That sounds good to me.
Nursing is your problem

Nursing, well there is your problem.  I have interviewed and tested many nurses who wanted to change careers to MT and not one of them could do it.  Nursing is way different than MT.  Nursing terms and medical terms are different.


Way more notches than I will ever see, LOL..whew..well, guess I better just step back, hun..dont want to mess with a super-super-duper-duper MT.


 


When I looked into nursing ...
When I looked into nursing, you had to get at least your LPN or RN training at a real school where you could get the hands-on training. The part you could do on-line would be the more advanced book parts, like getting your BS or masters.
Does anyone know if Nursing Homes have MTs? Thanks.

Nursing Homes
I used to work for a clinic consisting of 6 doctors and they dictated their nursing home visits along the rest of their dictation once a week. Good luck:)
Nursing school
I am a RN. I went to school with a lady in her 50's. She did just fine. I taught aid classes for a while and always encouraged my students to get LVN first then go for RN so you are on the right track. Besides, RN just do alot of paperwork.
I am in nursing school right now...

to get a BSN. I've been in the health care field, including paramedic, medical assistant, etc., and doing MT off and on throughout the past 25 years.  However, seeing the handwriting on the wall re: the future of MT, I decided not to wait until I didn't have a job to try to find one. I own an MTSO, so I make plenty of money now, probably more than I would make as an RN, but I'm not stupid-- that's only going to last another 5 years...so in the meantime I'm in school! I am in a four year program, it was extremely competitive to get in (1000 applicants, took 70). If you didn't have a GPA of 3.5 you didn't get it. So you will have to take that into consideration. There are long waiting lists at all schools though If you go to a community college 2 year program probably the grades won't be such an issue. You will also have to take plenty of prerequesites, which will keep you busy for 1-2 years. The good news is hopefully your MT job will be flexible enough so you can work around a changing school schedule, plus it's not like you have to drive somewhere to work. With your experience in medical records, you will be very strong in charting and every one in your class, including your teachers, will ask you how to spell words. You will at least be familiar with drugs and their uses, i.e. Aricept is for Alzheimer's.


Although it will be very difficult, know that at least you have a future ahead of you that can't be outsourced to India. My friend just finished the same program 2 years ago and she is working 32 hours per week, 3-11 shift at the community hospital and making over $50K plus benefits. That ought to help you get through school!


 


I am in nursing school too...sm
I had an associate of science degree from community college, but then had to take some more prerequisites, including developmental psychology, nutrition and organic chem. I am going for a BSN initially. It took me 2 semesters to get my pre-req's done, then my program is 5 semesters (no summer school). However, I would caution you-- the admit to nursing programs can be quite competitive esp at university level. We had 1000 applicants and they only took 70. If you didn't have a 3.5 GPA, you didn't get it. In addition, nursing school is GRUELING. They only have a full time program. I asked about part time and they said, if you don't want to go full time, get out of the way because 933 other people want your spot. Although all my classmates are straight A students (which you would have to be to get in), some are even failing classes -- that's how hard it is. Not only do you have to attend class, you have to write papers and do a whole bunch of other work outside the classroom. I study all day when I am not in school. My husband does all the cooking and we just skip cleaning for now (LOL). I will be going on for my master's straight out of the BSN class because I already have medical experience (was a medical assistant for years and also a paramedic). So good luck to you and email me if you have any more questions...
Transcription to Nursing
My mom went to nursing school after a divorce when she was in her early 50s.  She was afraid she was too old; I pointed out to her that she was going to continue to age whether or not she got her degree.  She had quite a good career but retired to take care of her (new) husband when he became ill.  She's in her late 60s, and hospitals are offering her incentives to come out of retirement.
Transcription to Nursing

Steph, I had the same questions you did. I am 43 and returned to school this past January to pursue a career in nursing. I posted on the nursing board, check there to see the answers I got. I have decided that it is never too late to do what you really want to. You are only going to live once. I too worried about the future of MT. I decided that if the profession did continue for another 20 years or so that I needed to work, the direction things were going were not for me. I won't kid you, going to school is harder when you are older. The memory is not what it used to be. However, I guarantee you that you will have a better attitude and better study habits because of your age, and your experience in transcription will give you an edge over other students. You will be amazed at how much you really know because of your transcribing. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


Where are the nursing forums?
I cant find them :(
rethink nursing
Went from MT to nurse in the 90s only back to MT because made more as MT.  Hopefully for you sake things have changed.  Wasted a lot of time getting my RN (plus got hepatits from a splash).  Not tryng to discourage you - you're young - go for it.
Why I didn't go into nursing!
..
Nursing Notes

I have been having an awful time getting straight with my company whether to use parenthesis for (Please see nursing notes.) etc.  I get corrected back and forth whether the word "see" has to be involved or if "per" is enough or even just (Nursing notes.) because it is implied to look there.  (No matter how I do it, eventually someone says it should be done the other way.)


To top it off, now someone else has totally not answered that part of the question but has said it has to be more specific, such as (See nursing notes dated 02/12/2008.)  That, see nursing notes is too vague, so not to used (  ).  I switched to doing it that way, and got corrected again!!


I end up feeling like a pain in the butt because I keep trying to get an answer, but I get so stressed out by constantly being told by a different QA person to do it a different way.


Anyone else with an issue like this?  And, how do you all handle this particular issue? 


re nursing notes and QA
That's really the pits.  My suggestion would be to document all of these ridiculous inconsistencies.  Another idea might be a source such as this board.  While I don't know who you work for, another thing that may be worth your time is to inquire to find out if other MTs are getting this mess as well.  Geez, nothing like feeling like a human yoyo!
nursing notes and QA

When I was told by QA to do it one way and the next QA a different way, I copied the e-mail and sent it to the other QA and the QA manager, and asked them point blank, which way is correct.  So from then on they asked everyone to save their messages from QA to make sure everyone was working on the same page so to speak, and that stopped that, because they were told do it this way.   Because, found out different QA people have been taught one way and the next QA person the other.  They all have to get on the same page, choose one way or the other and not stress anyone out.  Hope this will stop for you.



Benefits of MT over Nursing
Nursing requires a commute and some type of wardrobe, not to mention the physical requirements of the job.  Nursing work also involves quite a lot of facility politics right in your face.
Nursing is more lucrative
I still do both and will say that you have the potential to make a lot more money as an RN.  I prefer doing MT but can't come close to the salary I earn as a nurse, unfortunately.  If money is your goal, I think your husband has the right idea.
I was thinking of nursing too. What
is a good online school?