Curious of different backgrounds

NurseAnn08, LPN · Mar 4, 2004

I'm also an MT, have been for about 8 years. I am just into my first semester of pre-reqs. I don't like being behind the scenes, either and can't wait to get in a hospital and be a nurse!

~Ann~

angelac1978 · Mar 4, 2004

I have a BS in geography w/ emphasis in meteorology and I currently work for the US postal service. I was interested in nursing a few years back and got my CNA, worked in a hospital for awhile, loved the clinical setting but figured out nursing wasn't for me. I was always more interested in the technical aspect of pt care than the actual patients (wow that sounds really bad! :imbar ) but started hanging out in the radiology dept and found my home. Hopefully will get accepted this fall!

A

Carolanne · Mar 4, 2004

WOW and here I thought I was the only MT trying to make a switch. I have been an MT for about 17 years and have wanted to pursue nursing for even longer. Do you ever get asked why you want to switch when you make a pretty decent living already? I get that a lot. :balloons: for us I say!!

Oh, yes, get it a lot. When I say I work at home, people look at me like why would you want to put in an 8 hour shift somewhere? Well, like anything else, it gets old after awhile and it's human nature to want to spread our wings a little. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful that I found this field, it's been wonderful to be able to stay home w/ the kids and not have to hire sitters when they were young. I still plan to do the MT part time after I become a nurse, maybe because it's like an old friend and it will be comfortable to come home to after learning everything new at the hospital, or maybe it's out of a sense of obligation to my employer who has been very good to me over the years. Whatever the combo, every situation has it's plusses and minuses, so the trick is to find the happy medium I guess.

mauser · Mar 4, 2004

Yup, me too! Been an MT for 26+ years - 20 of them from home. I make great money, and will probably continue part-time for a while after I complete my RN - I need the money. People say, I thought you liked it? I say, sure did - but after more than 25 years, I am ready for a change. Plus, I like people, and I get tired of talking to my computer for so many hours a day.

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2004

I always wanted to do MT and work from home, but didn't figure I could make enough $$ to support my family doing it, plus the doctors I know are skeptical about it's long-term future as a career...

I currently work in the engineering department of a heavy equipment manufacturer - I've always been interested in medicine and healthcare, but the only semi-related experience I have is working in the local doc's office for a few months as a receptionist/go-fer/etc. Only in the past year or so did I decide to try nursing school (I was a bio/pre-med major before), and I'm still waiting to hear whether I got into the program I applied for. Eek!

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Mar 4, 2004

KNOCK KNOCK.....ANYBODY LISTENING OUT THERE?

How did you get into MT at home? I'm serious, I really need and want to know.

Thanks.....

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2004

How did you get into MT at home? I'm serious, I really need and want to know.

I have a friend that does it from home - it just kind of fell into her lap. I think most of the @home MT companies that are hiring now prefer you to have some in-clinic/hospital experience before hiring at home. Of course, if you go thru a reputable MT school (Careerstep, Andrews) some of the companies will let you test for a job when you finish the program. The MT study programs tend to be rather expensive (I think Andrews is nearly $4,000) and time consuming (6+ mos to complete working on it full-time).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, this is just what I've learned from my own personal experience/research. Sorry to be a bummer. :)

HAPPYNPROUD · Mar 4, 2004

I started out as a lab assistant, then pharmacy tech, on to medical assisting, phlebotomist, LPN working in several capacities such as m/s, rehab/subacute care, adult and adolescent psych, research, ltc and now school nurse for the blind completing adn program......can't wait for the next challenge

:)

Sheri257 · Mar 4, 2004

Plus the doctors I know are skeptical about it's long-term future as a career...

Really? Where do they think the trend is going for future MT's?

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Mar 4, 2004

Sorry to be a bummer.

No bummer, manna. How about 10 years experience? That oughta count for something.

Now if I can just find somebody with something to transcribe, I've got it made.

Probably ought to just focus on school. It was a nice idea. Thanks.

mauser · Mar 4, 2004

Well, I went to college for 2 years for it many years ago. I worked "in-house" for close to 10 years before working from home. Even those who complete the 6-month to a one-year courses will find it very difficult to make a decent living from it trying to do it from home until they get some experience. You get paid by the "line." If you can't understand the dictator (ESL, background noise, whatever), it can take forever to complete a report. Do you really want to earn $2 an hour for your hard work? Believe me, that has happened to me even after 25 years, when the doctor is new, inexperienced, can't speak English, stops in the middle of his dictation to talk to the person beside him, eats a sandwich, goes to the bathroom, all the while you are listening and not having anything to type - so not getting paid anything. Then you have to "fix" what he said to make it correct. :uhoh3:

It is a whole different world than nursing/working in the medical field. I have heard from RNs that have re-trained and got into the MT field.

Don't get me wrong - I make great money. Definitely more than I will starting out as an RN. It is just not as easy as the advertisements make it sound. Good luck.

edited to add: If you are truly interested - email me and I will give you a web site for an online "test" for a national company- just to see how you do!

sprtbikegrlsv65 · Mar 4, 2004

i started when i was 16 (dietary aid at a nursing home), 17-19 worked as a CNA/PCT at a nursing home and then the children's hospital, 19-20 surgery scheduler for an ambulatory surgery center, podiatrist assistant, and dermatology assistant (kind of like a medical assistant, but i couldn't give injections).

Then i took a break from healthcare to see if buisness was the right route for me (it wasn't) and i'm currently waiting for my acceptance letter to UPMC shadyside school of nursing.