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

Data entry - mtmom

Posted: Apr 14, 2014

I applied for a data entry job today after being unemployed for nearly 3-1/2 months. I can't seem to find anything I think I could start out doing after being home over the years. It seems data entry would fit for me. Getting back out there is hard. Depression has taken over, but I'm trying to manage without medication. Most days, I would like to go to bed and stay, but haven't up until this point. Anyway, thanks for listening to me vent.

I pray I will at least get to interview, get my feet wet again, and finish coding school in a few weeks. I can't test for the CPC exam without money and really can't wait until June which is the nearest testing site for me. Hopefully, working outside the home will help my self-esteem and overall spirit.

Anyone else gone through this? How do you overcome fears and get back out there? What kind of jobs did you take? Are you happier? I'm pushing myself to try it anyway and hoping for good results.

data entry - nm - office girl

[ In Reply To ..]
I sent you an email.

My Story - see msg pls

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After quitting MT 2 years ago, I started looking for office clerical jobs. I didn't have any luck, so I switched my focus to elderly companion and home health aide work.

I am much happier than if I was working in an office. There are a lot of nasty women in offices, back stabbers, etc., and at my age (59), I just didn't want to deal with it. In the elderly companion job, it's just me and the client. Not that clients can't be annoying, but you don't have the day-to-day office nastiness and politics.

I guess it depends on where you are in your life. I find the companion work extremely non-stressful and I have no mental struggles going to a job. It can be a bit difficult physically, but I do pretty good there. Emotionally, it can be draining because people are in pain or very sick, but I feel good helping them feel good. You have to have a caretaking soul and patience to do it.

Best of luck to you. Once I decided on non-office work, my "getting out there" stress level dropped significantly.

I've been thinking of making the same change as - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
you did - from MT to home health aide. Just curious, what is the pay for this type of job? What's your typical day consist of? Thanks for any info.

Pay - see msg

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Pay isn't real high, and the agency I work for doesn't always have enough work to go around, but I'm semi-retired and don't need the money that bad right now. I have the option of working for another company as well as this company, so that's always an option if I want more work. I do only in-home work. That is, I do not work in nursing homes or other public or private health facilities, except for maybe being a companion to someone in a nursing home.

I'm in SW FL and pay is $9.50 per hour for home health aide, $8.00 per hour for companion only.

My day varies, depending on the need of the client. Some people just need me to prepare their meals and do some light housekeeping and just sit with them and chat, maybe help organize their files. Others require assistance to the bathroom, showers, diaper changes. It's pretty broad. If the client can be left alone, they might ask me to run to the store to pick up a prescription or do a little grocery shopping. I also transport clients to doctors appointments. I help them transfer from walker or wheelchair to chair and vice-versa if needed.

I did tell my office I can't do any real heavy work in terms of lifting a heavy patient, and so far, they've complied with my wishes.

I have zero mental stress, I can tell you that.

Call some agencies in your area and ask if they train, or if you need to go somewhere to train.

Good luck to you. Best move I ever made, but keep in mind, clients can cancel you last minute for whatever reason, or go into a nursing home or hospital, then your job is ended with that client.

I make 9.85/hr as a CNA. I mostly enjoy what I do because - Me

[ In Reply To ..]
because I enjoy helping people. You can't count on getting 40 hours a week because people get better, go into nursing homes, or die.

What you do depends on the needs of the client. I have one client that only needs meals heated and you clean up from that. There may be some light housekeeping such as taking out trash or sweeping. I have other clients that are incontinent and you have to change them.

The only thing I dislike is you never know what type of situation you are going into. I've been in a home that the walls were literally crawling with roaches. Of course I didn't go back. I've been in other houses that were very dirty and/or smelled. Some houses needed a maid more than anything and I don't mind some light cleaning, but I'm not a maid.

With the aging population growing there will be an increases need for CNA/HHA/PCA, but it will always be a low paying job.

Thanks for the info! Appreciate it. - nm

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x

Advantages to CNA vs HHA - see msg

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There is an advantage going for the CNA as opposed to just HHA---they hire CNAs in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities, so the job market for that is more steady.

That being said, the CNAs have a lot of very heavy work in the facilities--making the beds, changing the diapers, cleaning up after some serious incontinence (both ends) accidents and things like that. It's heavy on the body and not pleasant, but if you have a lot of physical stamina and are made of tough stuff, but also have compassion, you'd be a good candidate.

Why are you waiting to apply for a coding job??? - sm

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Why are you waiting on applying for a coding job? That doesn't make sense!

There is no rule that says you must be certified or that you must have graduated.

My suggestion would be to start looking now.

applying - mtmom

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I haven't applied because I assumed I wouldn't be given the chance based on classes alone. From my experience working in-house in the medical records department of a large hospital, most of the coders had certification or previous work experience. The HIM manager wouldn't consider hiring anyone without experience. I have found a posting at another hospital in the HIM department wanting a coding support specialist. I applied for that as well. The job description stated Associates degree at the least, RHIT, or coding certification within 2 years of hire. I've earned my associates degree in HIM and will complete my coding class May 1st. This will hopefully lead to a coding job as it requires coding outpatient charts, and mainly helping the coders have what they need. They also asked for taking notes, minute taking for meetings, creating an agenda, and working the documentation ques. Most of my problem is feeling inadequate about getting back out there. Thanks for all the help and support.

Stop feeling inadequate - No reason for it

[ In Reply To ..]
You are well-qualified for the coding associate job! There is no need to feel inadequate.

You can, in fact, perform those other duties better than most HIT grads, and you have prior HIM experience as well.

If you feel inadequate, employers will know. They don't find it attractive. There is nothing appealing about an applicant who has no confidence even in themselves.

You should really work on turning that view around right now.

On the contrary, education alone doesn't get coding jobs, sadly - Graduate

[ In Reply To ..]
Unless you have been employed at a hospital and they want to cross train, it IS hard to find a job with just going through a coding course. Most DO require you are certified and most DO require you have experience. Best thing to do is if you have had coding classes, get certified.

That does not mean not to try - sm

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I was hired several months before I graduated. I started looking the day I began the program.

No one should sit around waiting until graduation day or certification day to start looking. Doing that only delays getting a job.

You need to start looking sooner, both for jobs in and around coding.

Taking a job in data entry when you should be looking for a job in coding is a bad move for three reasons. First, it says something about your lack of confidence. Second, it tells employers that you don't understand much about the industry. Third, it tells employers that you don't care about sticking with a job.

I know how you feel. I lost 2 MT jobs due to offshoring and/or VR a little - Me

[ In Reply To ..]
Over a year ago. I applied for probably 50 jobs, just about anything but fast food. I'm over 40, over qualified, etc. I had days I was so depressed I wanted to stay in bed all day and cry. I had to make myself get out of bed and do something each day. I went to classes through my state unemployment office. I got my CNA license as my first step for nursing school. I am currently in school, but have 15 months left. I am taking classes for a billing and coding certificate.

I am working as a CNA at about 1/3 of what I was making. For a while I also worked for a commercial cleaning company cleaning bathrooms in an office bldg. I have almost depleted my savings. I've tried to sell things.

It is a harsh world out there. I don't have any advice other than to put one foot in front of the other and do something each day. Get outside for at least 15 min a day. Register with temp agencies.

I'm glad I went back to work outside the home - It has been wonderful. SM

[ In Reply To ..]
I had become so complacent. I remember going 2 to 3 days at a without leaving my house, always in pajamas and lounge type clothes; like T-shirts, leggings or sweats. If it wasn't for my husband and daughters, the only people I would have hardly seen would have been on TV.

I got out on the weekends, but it's just a lot different when you are in a set routine of actually getting up leaving the house daily, having to be somewhere besides home by a certain time everyday and interacting with other people besides family on a daily basis. Plus my girls are all adults and have their own lives so I didn't necessarily see them on a daily basis either.

And once I went back to work outside the home I felt so much more active and energetic, it was like working from home made me lazy; but that's just me and my experience. I'm sure there are people who feel the opposite.

Was relieved to work from home all winter - with the terrible weather

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It was actually scary going out around here with all the icy roads. I still am glad not to have to fight the traffic every day by working from home. I get out shopping before and after my shifts and on my days off.

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