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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

the stress level, the extreme pressure on the job

Posted By: Sara on 2005-11-10
In Reply to: ...make WHAT worth it?.... - ?

The only thing good out of my years in the industry was I had terrific insurance when I got cancer. The bad was, when I got back to work, the whole atmosphere had changed. They thought I should be ready to take on the world, and I was still with secondary illnesses from the chemoradiation. In fact, even today (3 years later), I still have problems.


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Everything EXTREME, extreme sports, etc.
nm
I came from low level neighborhood. I know the effects low level people have on a child's
mind. I fought very hard to get out of there. If you think narrow-minded high-horse thinking people are the only ones who are making trailer park comments, YOU ARE DEAD WRONG. I know white trash people who live for the weekend to get drunk and party and make just enough to get by. I am educated in the "real world" and whether you like it or not, the "real world" doesn't want to be anywhere near a trailer park for real or imagined reasons and does ostracize trailer park people along with ghetto people and section 8 people. Crime, drugs, do come from low income housing. BTW, people are outraged at black-on-black ghetto crime. That does not happen in higher working class black neighborhoods. Same deal with white trash people. Low class white people get drunk fight and end up in jail. If you read the newspaper or watch it on TV over the weekend, you know what I am talking about. Crime, drugs, etc is rarely an ONGOING problem in upper class neighborhoods because most of these people have goals for the future. Lower class neighborhoods and low class people are what they are because that's what the people in the neighborhoods settle for.
RE: Extreme makeover
I cried right along with you.  Loved the mother.  She was so excited about everything.
This will work, but extreme...
Pop off the plastic cap on your CAPS LOCK key - you won't hit it very many times before you break the habit.

Alternatively, you cut tape a piece of masking tape or something on the top of the key.
Given the extreme nature of your anxiety
plus your other medications, I wouldn't mess with it. Just because it's "natural" doesn't mean there aren't any side effects. The warnings on RxMed say not to take with MAO, SSRI, tricyclic antidepressants or dopamine agonists.

For starters, St. John's wort causes skin photosensitivity, mucus membrane inflammation, and interferes with birth control pills. I don't know if that's a concern for you or not. Kava kava can cause skin reactions, pupillary dilatation, lack of skeletal muscle coordination, and may exacerbate depression.

There are some European studies out there indicating that St. John's wort is effective with mild side effects. Still, I'd avoid taking herbs period with your existing symptoms and medications.
Just did a search and that is how extreme Islamics view us here in US.
I guess satan exists in Islamic religion as the essence of evil too.
Did anyone see extreme makeover? I cried so much the last 15 minutes
x
My extreme interest in all things medical/surgical keeps me loving it. nm
.
not pressure, but

Pressure cooker.
Since I bought my pressure cooker (not a fancy model--just a $49 basic job from Sears), now I use it constantly! Even the toughest meat (chicken or pork) comes out fall-off-the-bone tender with excellent flavor. Quicker than regular oven too.
The pressure of it is the killer. sm

You need support, a support system. You need to take control, change your perception of "they are making me do this" to "I can do this for me" not the insurance company. Your mind is where this will work. You do have the power. It is up to you. Decide on a plan with support from good people, a doctor, a group, talk to people who have done it. But first yourself. Talk to yourself. We'll be listening. Good luck!
That is just it, I am not putting pressure on him at all and support him,
but deep inside I am heartbroken and won't let him know it.
please see my post on pressure valve (nm)

See pressure valve - need input - nm
--
Pressure to work holiday
I don't think you're crabby and appreciate the venting. Usually work volumes sink really low to almost nothing around the major holidays. They certainly are aware of this every time they pressure their employees to work a holiday. Just a thought.
Do you take blood pressure medication? sm
They can make you extremely tired, too. I take Toprol XL and have for 13 years. It peaks about 3 hours after I take it I have trouble staying awake at the PC from 6 am to about 10:30 am. I literally fall asleep with fingers right on the keyboard. It was so bad that I finally changed to the afternoon shift. I asked my doc about it and he said try taking it at night. Well, that brought on the headaches I was trying to avoid. He said to take 1/2 in the a.m. and 1/2 in the p.m. No dice, still had headaches. He won't change my pills, says if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it. He wants to keep my pressure on the low side. My only solution was changing shifts and now I don't fall asleep at the keyboard anymore. I can get 10 hours of sleep at night but still fall asleep about 3 hours after taking that medication. I'm fine if I am up and about and doing things but sitting at the keyboard is another story.
No spin. No blood pressure problems.
I'm not complaining about an Indian MT taking good work from me and I don't know anyone within the company who gives out that information anyway.  I do believe you might resolve your issues by telling the whole story because at first glance it just sounds like you are complaining and really don't want a solution.  If that's the case I am sorry for you.  I am also sorry for you that your source came up with an "Indian MT" taking your work who only wants American doctors to cause your blood to boil.  Not only does this intruder come from India but she leaves you with the lousy Indian dictators.  Not that you sound prejudiced or anything.  But do you really need all that info to perform your job?    Or is someone trying to stir you up like that higher source you have within the company.  Maybe they want you to get mad  and quit!  Be careful who you believe and IF your source information is valid what are you going to do with it but fret?  That's not a good thing friend.
go ahead. i don't feel supervising is any different than pressure of MT or any other job.
so you must transcribe, listen to excuses and have patience. i do that now while transcribing. i listen to excuses why there are no pay increases or why there is no work. i am patient while waiting for work and being told to cut back on work as there isn't enough or work more cause there is too much. i am quite sure i know as much as my supervisor as far as common sense and logic.
My question is why do you want that kind of pressure in a job that requires you to
work 80 hours a week? If working 80 hours is part of the job at any given time, why would you want it?
See pressure valve - needed to vent.
----
I try not to pressure myself so I don't get that way. I build up speed naturally. -nm
x
How is the sign-up process? Is it high pressure?
xx
A large part of the problem is pressure to cut costs (sm)
often results in the squeeze being applied to the non-acute-care parts of the equation and very, very often that ends up being the transcription. The services end up bidding jobs lower than they want to and it just trickles right on down.

Then you have some MTSO's who insist on paying for the technology they want and need off of the worker's backs. I used to work for a guy who wanted to do this and it's one reason I don't work for him anymore.

It sucks being a mushroom and it always has. I don't see it getting any better, either.
Well, there's your problem! You're using blood pressure pills instead of birth
control pills!!  See - BP pills are for your heart - BC pills are for your - well, surely you must know! 
well it's really down to the nitty gritty pay issue. everything is relative pressure-wise
I mean if you get paid enough for the pressure it makes it a little more worthwhile than the feast or famine world of the MT. You know what I mean?
If this stops hurting so much with pressure or elevation, you have a bleed, honey.

Schiavo thread has been moved to the Pressure Valve board
Link below
yep, global warming? But projected path is Galveston due to high pressure &
x
This dumb-and-dumber peer pressure is the pits. And kids with higher
great IQ still means we are all human, and frail, and forgetful, etc, etc, etc. stuff like that happens to me. I tell my son it's because I'm pondering quantum physics, just to make him grin!
Ditto and I wear my gloves inside out so the seam doesn't rub on the pressure points. nm
x
don't stress too much about it (sm)
It's really not hard to learn at all.  It may seem overwhelming, I mean all the manuals they send you about it, but honestly, I haven't even opened them, except during training...which BTW, I didn't get paid for...but that's another issue! Anyways, it's fine...I only use the built in expander also, and I like it! You'll be fine...don't stress over it.  Good luck!
stress
I either play with my dog, walk or read something that requires no brain!
Stress
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to relieve stress? I work 8-10 hours a day, have a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old, and a husband who does not believe MT is a real job, and major financial stressors.

I have been slowly losing my hair over the past 6 years which I believe may be due to hormonal shock (2 babies in quick succession) and then stress and maybe adrenal fatigue.

I am hoping a stress-free living will help me regain myself and my hair! Thanks.
The pay is really good, but the stress so-so!
I do have some great MTs that I QA for and I bless them every day LOL. The title is nice on paper, yes. I don't plan on being in this profession forever, but since I do have some type of supervisory under belt, that will be good.
Hand stress

I've transcribed since 1983.  You can lessen hand stress if you observe how you hold your hands as you type.  When I was in my twenties I noticed that there was a real difference in the way I held my hands and how the older transcriptionists (they had their wrists up and hands pointing down at the keyboard).  I have always had my wrists laying on something and my fingers are going up.  I have never had one bit of carpal tunnel or pain whatsoever.


Stress in the office
I'm one of the unlucky ones NOT at home, but still in the office. The stress level in there is making us all sick, both physically and mentally. I would get out of MT and learn to do something else if I didn't think that by the time I finally got through school, I'd be too old to be hired.
Yes, but no. I used to stress over it when we had to eat two meals
between my parents and the in-laws. Then I started hosting, but that was stressful because it was expensive and a lot of other reasons that I won't get into. DH and I got into an argument because he's upset that I refuse to host this year. I've done it for the past several years. We don't have the money and half of our house is ripped apart for repairs, plus I have to work both Wednesday and Friday while all the in-laws are off those days. I don't care. I quit. They can do whatever they want to do. I'm tired of being a people-pleaser.
reduce your stress
i guess you have someone sharing the load. it is hard to reduce your stress level if you are the breadwinner, caretaker, and housekeeper.
STRESS ECHO
Agree with the other poster. More than likely, in my experience, the tech just didn't do a good job and that is why the images are not clear.
What do you do for stress reduction?
I am 100% stressed to the max, all the time. I wish I wasn't so high strung and jittery. So what do you do to relax and reduce stress? I need ideas.
stress reduction
I have lots of hobbies that I enjoy soI can easily immerse myself in one of those and forget my troubles for awhile.  My favorite hobby is scrapbooking.  I also go to the gym daily and that helps reduce stress as well.
Less stress so true
A few of us on this particular discussion feel the same way. I have felt only a tiny degree of stress working overnight transcribing. It is the only luxury time just for me. This is why I switched. It is so quiet. I am not scared the kids will bug me or husband or some emergency at school etc. I love my work at night I get the stats and ops and they are so interesting. I must say I would have died early if I kept days and or second shift because the family has needs. Now, at night I am 100% me and transcribing, my productivity is great. So, if I get cancer I would be surprised because I think that stress makes a person open to all kinds of diseases. To you night owls out there enjoy your peace and quiet, this is your "me" time!
job stress. die or get fired.

i am quite upset.  one of my co-workers passed away.  we here all know it was from job stress, but we are not to admit it and were repremanded so by our superiors.  basically it came down to "die or get fired".  lucky for her she died before she could get fired.


now i am sitting here at work today wondering what the heck am i supposed to do? we cannot talk about the job stress and that is what did her in, but she was sick and getting sicker and this is why she passed away.  she was sick and getting sicker from the stress dawg-gone it. 


nobody gets it.


tuesday she told me that a lot of her sickness had to do with wondering if she was going to have a job or not and what would she do if she got fired?  she was beside herself with worry.  she worked her for 25 years, and was a good employee and excellent Transcriptionist until the new supervisor took over and started ragging on her like a pit bull dog and his prey.  and this is a catholic hospital.  i guess this is the new christian work ethic.


i need to vent.  any comments would be appreciated but since i am at work please make them nice.  i have had enough bad stuff happen around here today.


 


 


 


 


 


Exactly! The money was great, but the stress...
and long hours were certainly not worth it.  I still don't get why JJ or whoever would care about anyone's bb name.    Personally, I have more important things to get my panties in a twist over.  We all have our hangups I suppose. 
Stress and long hours

So, you're saying that you got tired of the stress and long hours so you bacame a TRANSCRIPTIONIST!  You crack me up.  Everybody knows that as a Transcriptionist there is never any stress or long hours.


Morning stress reducers

When my kids were young, there were a few tricks I used to cut down on hectic mornings.  I didn't make sandwiches ahead but I did prebag chips and cookies and place is a drawer.  That way just had to reach in and grab a couple of bags and lunch was halfway prepared.  The night before, kids always picked out the clothes for the next day.   And there was no changing minds that morning either, or they lost 1/2 hour of TV time.  Also, backpacks got loaded up the night before and placed by the door.  A little extra thought and effort the night before made mornings a little less hectic.


LOL! And stress will kill you or make you
now have some incurable, difficult to treat, chronic, crippling, painful disease brought on by stress!


Repetitve Stress Injury
Thanks so much for the help and advice.  Yes, I do have the screen eye level but I might be able to adjust a few things.  I think the doctor is my next stop however.  One thing I notice is maybe I need to get to stretching more between dictations.  I have a tendecy to focus on the work for too long.
If you think you have stress now, wait until you are a teacher.
s
Anyone with experience with stress echo?
Does anyone know what it would mean to have a stress echo where everything was normal at rest, person exercised normally to 99% of predicted with minimal symptoms, and at the end of the test echo images were not clear.  Tech then said this was the wrong test, and of course, lips were sealed as to what that meant.  Anyone with any knowledge of this or experience?  Thanks.
Personally, I like the lack of stress and no (sm)
flippin' academic politics, or driving to 5 different colleges each week, teaching one course at each as a part-time lecturer. I've preferred spending my time homeschooling my equally gifted children, writing for a couple of feminist pubs, and working on local grassroots politics. Working at home as an MT allows me to break up my day and do all those things, while being the sole breadwinner. Works for me.