A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Burnout!!! - Sue

Posted: May 03, 2012

Okay, I have been having a total burnout this week and don't know where to turn. After doing MT work for 15 years with the last couple of years being forced to do VR with awful docs and the reports being such a mess that I could do them faster starting from scratch, I just want to be done! They are getting so bad that the other day I made about $4.00 to $6.00 an hour and worked about a 12-hour day just to make what I need to make on a daily basis so we can make ends meet.

I'm ready to go work in a hospital environment and hopefully earn an hourly wage instead of this nonsense at home. Trouble is, none of the hospitals here are hiring for transcriptionists and seem to be doing away with it...now what? ~ I was going to go back to school and look into Coding, but something is holding me back, and I feel there is something else is out there. I would probably enjoy doing hospital secretarial work or paperwork/charts at a hospital but don't know what that kind of position would be called. Anybody else feeling the burnout and ready to call it quits????

Maybe a unit secretary? - Seriously

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been at this over 20 years and VR is the last straw for me, but I'll do it until I can't stand it (or June when the kids are out of school). This year we finally were able to finish paying off some of the houses we invested in and they are all 100% leased so I feel secure enough to do it.

But at any rate I don't want to be bored so I've looked into unit secretary and admissions. Here they want full time people and like I said for me I only want part time, but that's something maybe to check?

Good luck.

Try checking out job descriptions for unit clerk - or something along those lines

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The pay won't make you rich but can't be any lower than what you're currently making, plus you'd likely have an awesome benefits package and get to do a variety of interesting tasks. Heck, you'd even be able to get up from your desk and walk around, not to mention socialize a bit.

I used to be an administrative assistant/unit clerk, and I loved it. I make more doing MT work or I'd go back to it in a heartbeat.

LOL great minds (same time posting) - Seriously

[ In Reply To ..]
Another ex-MT friend got work at a large department star that has a parade (don't know if I can mention names) and she makes about $12 an hour, but the bonus..she's lost 20 pounds in 3 months from the walking.

Haha! - Sue

[ In Reply To ..]
Hmmmm, wonder if I can figure that one out : ) ~ I think that's what I might be thinking of is a Unit Secretary. Thanks for the input everyone. I will do some research tonight. Good luck to you too...and 20 lbs...that sounds great!

large department store, right? - wheres_my_job

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I think that's what you meant..?

Yep long day LOL (nm) - Seriously

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No msg.

BTDT, made good money but.... - Bun

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Worked for the parade-sponsoring store's more upscale sister and started at $17/hr plus 3% commission in cosmetics. It's fun, but just as hard on the body to stand for 8 hrs as it is to sit and type. You're only as good as your numbers, too, and they let you know it. More important than selling is opening charge accounts, which in this economy and with interest rates on store cards being >23% is like pulling teeth. But as an IC, I use retail as unemployment and wouldn't rule it out.

standing is way better than sitting - wheres_my_job

[ In Reply To ..]
they've done studies that have found sitting in a chair all day is TERRIBLE for your body and also takes years off your life. I can believe it.

One of my jobs *supposedly* involves sitting down, but it's ending up I'm on my feet the majority of the time - I LOVE IT - you're working and also exercising (even if at a very low level) compared to sitting in front of a computer, and only your fingers are moving.

I would like to get some other "standing" jobs. Don't know that retail would hire me. But I like the idea of it - parade thing is a big plus in my book.

Thanks for the insider info about those retail jobs - not for everyone, that's for sure.

My low back pain was far worse from standing - Bun

[ In Reply To ..]
than sitting. Knees starte hurting, too. The marble floors of dept stores have no give. If you really want to lose weight, work in the shoe department. You can also sit in the stock room while pretending to look for shoes.

Cosmetics generally pays several dollars more per hr than other departments. Shoes, cosmetics, high-end cookware, mens' suits and designer lines often have a commission on top of per hour. Some of the very high-end stores pay only commission, but you can do very well. You need the gift of gab. If you're good at remembering client names, you'll do very well. They train on product.

You get lots of freebies and discounts, too. My store had periodic 20/20 employee events - our regular 20% plus another 20% off the balance, including sale items. I was getting designer goods for a few dollars.

Be aware that the stores require that you open a charge card and that you can only get your discount by charging the items.

Cosmetic lines also hire freelancers - yes - those fragrance samplers, make-up artists, skin care specialists. They are ICs but make usually a minimum of $20/hr. You don't need to have a license but you should be adept and willing to apply makeup/skin care on customers. You will have hourly sales goals to reach too.

Department store - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Anyone who is unhappy working evenings, weekends or holidays is not going to like working retail, all of those things are required.

My schedule was part-time days. - Bun

[ In Reply To ..]
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 5 days a wk, but for the most part, yes, a full-timer will likely be required to work 1-2 evenings and one weekend day. If you're on commission, you will want to do that. What was so hard working days was the absolute lack of store traffic. I was working when we invaded Iraq. Customer traffic dried up for months after that.

Not always - Seriously

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Because of people using them as 2nd jobs or jobs for students, they DO need people part time and days more than one would think.

Burnout options in a hospital - travelinmt

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As already stated..

Unit secretary/clerk, most want you to know Med. Term and have a red cross CPR course..not the basic one but the one that takes 8 hours.

Department Secretary..If you look at Medical Centers the departments have secretaries, ie: Cardiology, pathology,etc. as well as Quality Improvement, Social Services, Nurse recruitment, etc. If you are not up to date on all the microsoft programs, try your local adult school and see if they have a microsoft certification class, that certifies you as an expert in each program.

See if your local adult school or Comm. College offers a class for Medical front office.

I have been a unit secretary/department secretary/QA secretary/analyst,as well as a transcriptionist and a traveling HIM and transcription consultant. There are jobs out there for you, you just have to look. Go to your local hospitals, online or in person, and find their job board.

Don't give up there is life outside of transcription. :)

I'm in your boat. I still make decent - money but I hate to

[ In Reply To ..]
sit down and work. Been doing this for 9 years and I'm bored. I'm pretty sure I am going to enroll in Andrews for coding, but to think I have to keep doing MT until I get through the program and get a job is disheartening. I still have little ones at home so I can't just jump into any job to get out of the house and have a change of scenery. Good luck to you!

I scored a hospital job last November - - ScooterAli

[ In Reply To ..]
I was in the same boat. Last November when dictation levels plummeted at my MT account, I saw the writing on the wall and decided to look in house. After 15+ years as an ER MT, I found a part-time job at a local hospital in the Emergency Room assisting the doctors/nurses by ordering tests, paging specialists, basically the liaison between them and the other areas of the hospital. It was a perfect fit with my experience as an MT. I work two 12-hour shifts a week at the hospital and do MT on my days off. Depending on the shift differential I make between $16 and $19 an hour and get full health/dental/vision/vacation/you name it! I'm loving getting out of the house a couple of days a week and the environment is just like on TV - just fascinating. If my MT account tanks, I know I'll have a place to hang my hat. I'm counting my lucky stars. The jobs are out there - just keep looking! I would suggest something in Medical Records or Unit Secretary or Patient Access Rep, anything to get your foot in the door. Once you're in house, you'll be exposed to so many other areas of health care that you probably never gave a second thought to, but might interest you. I would not suggest going back to school for anything else unless you want to do actual patient care. Why take a chance that coding is going to go the same way as MT? Good luck!

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