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

Free at last ... - Maggie May

Posted: Dec 08, 2013

FINALLY! I have finally managed to get out of MT permanently. I'll have to drive 30 minutes each way to work, but I will have the same shift I had working at home only for a guaranteed hourly wage! What an amazing Christmas present!

Good luck to all of you who are trying to escape.

Congrats! - I escaped a year ago!-nm

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xxx

What will you be doing? - nm

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nm

Not OP - ...but I am doing

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Home Health work, as an elderly aide and companion.

Pay is not great, but no worse than this MT stuff, and no serious mental stress---can be emotionally draining---like when someone is very ill or in pain, but mentally it's not anywhere near MT work.

That's great! At least you're making a difference in someone's life - nm

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nm

Thanks - see msg

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Home Health Aide/Companion is very rewarding. I used to feel that way about MT and felt I was making a difference in peoples' lives. No more.

Even before I stopped making decent money in the MT biz, I lost respect for it. These big agencies don't give a diddly-doo about what it takes to be a good MT, and they have completely demoralized us to the point of no return.

I will take cleaning someone's dentures or helping them in the john any day. It means something to the person who is unable to do it for themself.

There are many ways to "make a difference" in someone's life, and at this stage of my life, I chose the elderly companion route. I'm 58, and do not have the wherewithall (sp?) to go back to school in a big way. I just took some CPR and other training classes, and this is what I plan to do until I'm 62 and completely retire.

I am a CNA. It gives me flexible hours while I'm going - Me too

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to school. There is a lot of work available. I worked for one agency that had mostly Medicaid patients. I had multiple clients a day, didn't get paid for time going from patient to patient or mileage for same. I was also sent to some of the filthiest homes.

I now work for an agency that only has private pay clients. They are selective about the clients they accept so I know I'm not going into nasty houses.

They pay isn't great. I'm making half what I made as an MT a year ago, but I lost 2 good MT jobs within a few months of each other. I have 27 years of experience and the best I could do was MModal or Nuance. I decided that was the push I needed to explore other options.

I'm not 100% sure what I want to do yet, but I'm taking lots of courses that will make me more employable, such as becoming Excel certified, professional writing, and medical billing and coding.
My school no longer offers a transcription course because they knew that students did not have a bright future with MT.

TO CNA - sm

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There is no money in home health care work & it sounds like that is what your are doing. Also, you do not have to be certified to do home health care; its called being a PA (personal assistant).

About 15 years ago I worked as a CNA for a nursing agency & I made pretty good money. I worked three 12 hour shifts Fri, Sat & Sun at various nursing homes in my area (wherever they sent me that week) and went to school Monday thru Thursday. Back then I was making $14 an hour which was fairly decent at that point.

I don't know what its like now, but back then if you worked for a nursing home versus agency the starting rate was $9 to $10 per hour. Maybe you should consider working in the nursing home setting and bypass the home health aid because again, you do not have to be certified to work as a home health aid or personal care assistant.

The nursing home paid 8.55/hr and I worked like a dog. I get paid - Me

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$15/hr, 50 cents/mile, meals, and more doing home care. I don't have to be a CNA to do home care, but it is a requirement to work in a nursing home. As I said, it is only a stepping stone while I'm in school.

I quit - M-Murder

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a month ago and have never felt better. I was just waiting to make sure my escape was complete before I posted about it here.

Almost a year ago I got my life and health insurance licenses (about $1000 for courses, testing, fees) and had a few false starts trying to sell insurance part time before finally out of the blue I was contacted by a small brokerage company specializing in Medicare supplement insurance. I was hired on the spot, and get a salary plus commissions on policies I sell. All work is done by phone out of a lovely modern office with some of the nicest, most helpful people I have ever encountered. My boss is really into professional development of his sales staff and shows us all a lot of respect and appreciation.

At first I was really scared about this whole idea... getting dressed, traffic, office environment, dealing with the public, etc., but now I can't believe I threw away all those years living on the trash heap that MT has become for so many years. I never could have imagined a year ago I could be learning and growing so much, and I am no spring chick... in another few years I will be selling myself a med sup policy, LOL!

I now have less and less interest in the MT world, so have only visited this site occasionally since I started my new career (yes, it really is a career). I did this job for so long (30 years) it is hard to turn away from, like watching a slow motion train wreck.

I do hope that anyone who is looking finds a way out. MTs are smart, and there is no reason for so many of us not to have the kind of lives we deserve.

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