NCRA Test Prep WKT

The Final Frontier: Nolo Contendere, Guilty, Part II of III

The Final Frontier: Nolo Contendere, Guilty, Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
September 16, 2013

Part I began: Court reporters are a disciplined breed. This is reinforced as I move through my professional and personal world.

“The final frontier” is a metaphor. I was encouraged to write this as I trolled this topic past professionals, court reporters, broadcast captioners, CART providers, instructors, and students that I am tutoring and coaching. Guilty.

Court reporters listen with laser focus. I have listened to individuals, doctors, speak – a lot.

When specialists have finished long sentences, often I am asked “Have any questions?”

Often, I shake my head.

When I am asked why I don’t have any questions I have replied, “The good news is that the patient does not have the diagnosis that you thought was causing the problem. The bad news is that you don’t know what’s causing the problem.”

Not often, the specialist asks, “How’d you do that?”

Rarely, will I share, “Degree in listening.”

Often, I reply, “I listened.”

Part II of II:

… When the ambulance arrived, Mom, on oxygen and hooked up to multiple machines, was crying. I needed to sign documents, “Hurry,” they said. Head down, I read the first paragraph. The first reaction I hear over and over and over? Deep sighs. Then I heard, “Just sign it. It’s important.”

I read until I saw “Patient Arrested.” I pointed to the line. Ambulance EMTs who were gowned for isolation with gloves and masks, and nurses in the room, abruptly inhaled.

Me: “Arrested? Define, please.” An EMT: “We’re in a hurry.”

Me: “No can do. Court reporter. Only time I see word ‘arrested,’ is with work. ‘Patient arrested’ … Not signing until defined.”

EMT: “Your mother arrested on the table. You’re not supposed to know. We’re not allowed to tell you. You need to sign. We must transport now; she needs isolation.” (Code for: “Hospital discharge policy was at 5:00 today, and it’s past 5:00 now.)

My court reporter discipline, in my opinion, appeared again. Guilty.

I will not be hurried when asked to sign documents. I quietly insist on reading every line. Though I wanted to toss their clipboard against the wall, I sat tall, silently, slowly, counting Mississippi-s until everyone was uncomfortable in the room.

Then I said, “Patient arrested? Yet I am not to be told, correct?”

“Yes. We have standby personnel due to her arrest, yet we could get sued for telling you.”

I did sign – after I read every line. No, they would not give me copies.

The final frontier involves deciding when to let others do their job and to stay on the sidelines, when to step forward.

I now listen to doctors discuss an eval; then I write three words.

Many ask, “Why only that?” looking to my notes.

I softly say, “Data driven.”

Thus far, that stumps everyone working to blow out of the room onto their next patient. Guilty.

Data driven. I listen to “we need to up meds” or “we need to wing-down.”

Watching professionals take Mom’s blood pressure the past few weeks I have again viewed the final frontier.

During symptom spikes, doctors do not return calls and nurses are in “report.” Serious side effects mean “it’s being monitored, and we’ll tell the next shift.”

Like many freelance and judicial court reporters, I have marked a lot of exhibits.

Details are important, yes? I have found multiple incorrect confidential documents for other patients, outdated and incorrect lab reports. I am not stunned anymore. I simply hold up the document(s) – which I was encouraged not to take the time to read. Guilty.

Due to multiple problems, recently I phoned a cardiologist for an outside visit after I watched professionals take Mom’s blood pressure. During the incident that created my call to the cardiologist, Mom’s BP reached 186/90, and a white-coat wearing specialist giggled, “Oh, she’s just upset.” In realtime, my focus shifted with my mother’s diagnosed afib and current diagnoses.

Reactions were swift once I phoned the cardiologist. Mountains were moved well under 24 hours. People were not happy. Oh well. Guilty.

Perhaps the D.O.N., Director of Nursing, phoned, “Perhaps you’re not satisfied with our care here.”

Perhaps I only listened. (Often I choose when to “word” engage. I chose not here. That call told me more about them than me.)

The final frontier. Nurses and staff now tell me, “You really do want to help your mother.” I avoid replying “gah” and am convinced it is our discipline. Guilty.

Court reporters are disciplined from school, each job, each event, and with each application with our skills.

Yet ask a medical person who is working with other medical people for a straight answer – and I am astonished to hear, “Just trust me – you need to sign this.” No.

The final frontier. Multiple individuals whisper, “You’re a textbook problem.”
Me, “How so?”

Patients with family who ask questions and want answers are called problems. “And you do want your questions answered. You listen and listen and listen while they talk themselves blue.” Guilty.

I remain stunned that medical professionals have said, “You help me to do a better job. Most people are too busy to ask questions. And it takes time to answer you. Yet your mother is alive because a family member picked up symptoms, behavior, and patterns quicker than staff.” Guilty.

The final frontier involves so many court reporters, CART providers, captioners, and students who share that they will not sign anything without reading every line, too. They insist on a copy of everything they sign, too. When they read documents to sign, everyone in the room sighs – while they calmly read, too. Discipline, yes. Guilty.

A high-profile official court reporter. “I took three hours to read mortgage papers. I took five hours signing a 15-year mortgage. When I bought a car on 24 installments, the dealer closed at 8 p.m. I left at 9:30 p.m. It drives my family crazy.” Nolo contendere.

We are not rattled when we are asking for information at work or at home, regarding a family member and advancing our skills. We listen.

We have no shortcuts to listening.

Part I of III is posted September 5, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted September 16, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted September 27, 2013, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com

Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com

Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal

Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist

All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com

Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com

Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com

* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching

Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61

Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?

Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.

Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:

• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.

Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?

• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …

Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29

Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.

Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?

Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!

About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.

Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.

Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.

Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.

16 Sep 2013

Exactly Why Am I Doing This Now? Part I of III

Exactly Why Am I Doing This Now? Part I of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
May 1, 2013

The requested tutor and empowerment coaching appointment began with a simple question.

My question to the court reporter was simply, “How are you?”

There was a loud sigh. The answer began, “I am so tired of …” I watched the clock. How long? Over five minutes. I did not peep one word as I listened. After a noticeable silence, the court reporter asked me what I was thinking.

Soflty, I said, “Wow, that was almost a five-minute literary test. Now please tell me what you really think.” She howled with laughter.

Ah, court reporters and court reporting students.

When someone asks us what we think, and the question is posed by someone (my opinion here) related to our field, we can really let the words fly, yes? Yes.

This individual and I have worked together in the past. She emailed with a question requesting numerous sessions.

Again, I found it interesting that the tenacity and goals that were set by this person while enrolled in court reporting school (her words) “who would never make it out of school fast enough” were now similar to today’s scheduled session.

“I’m not going to spend another dime to improve my skills when I have paid so much to get where I am.” (I remained silent.)

“I know people can do what I am trying to do now. If they can do it, why can’t I? I want – No, I need to earn more money. I didn’t go to court reporting school to be at the bottom of a seniority list with working court reporters after this period of time, did I?” (I remained silent.)

The sentence I truly enjoyed (professionally and personally here), “I’ll just get there and take it from there when I do get there, okay?”

I listened to this gainfully employed court reporter.

“The support on my software is about to expire. I have to pay for that, too. And the support on my new writer is about to expire. More money there! All that adds up to a lot of money and it is due very, very soon!”

The reporter summed it up, “I just am wondering exactly why I am doing this now …”

And there we had it. The dancing zebra in the room was bowing and exiting.

Now that the energy had been expelled in a healthy manner – and we were clear that we would focus together – we began an open dialog for the goals.

Part II of III is posted May 15, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com

Part III of III is posted May 24, 2013, on Monette’s Musings at www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com

Monette, the Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com

Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal

Tutor, Motivational Management & Empowerment Coach,
Multiple Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART, & Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist

All American RealTime/Captioning Services, Inc.: www.ARTCS.com

Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com

Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com

* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching

Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RMR, RDR, or a state court reporting exam?
Monette will help you to pass your test and to exceed schooling and career goals. http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=61

Did You Know: www.CRRbooks.com has material to help you advance skills for NCRA exams and state certifications?

Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and empowerment coaching?
Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.

Empowerment coaching and tutoring topics include:

• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.

Who comes to Monette for tutoring and empowerment coaching?

• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, to create new possibilities, to advance their career, to author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
• Students and veterans who struggle with focus, goal-setting, time-management or other life skills that might be interfering in their upward success,
• At-home students who want to ensure they’re on track for their exam and career goals,
• Veteran court reporters, CART providers, and broadcast captioners expanding their career options in related fields,
• Students and veterans alike who find they’re struggling with key areas of daily practice,
• Students or veterans who have begun to question their career or whether they’re on the “right track” …

Check out: Reach Your Goals with Tutoring and Empowerment Coaching
http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29

Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.

Where do you want to go? What have you really wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?

Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!

About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART provider, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.

Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART providers, captioners, students, and instructors. She has also helped create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.

Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.

Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day.

01 May 2013

Test Power: Prep The Final Week, Court Reporting Students and Reporters

Test Power: Prep The Final Week, Court Reporting Students and Reporters
By Monette Benoit

Copyright 2007 by Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.

If you are taking a NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, or state court reporting test this weekend, you are now in the fast lane to reach, to grasp forward onto your goals.

I have received so many emails on how to prep, I blocked time in my schedule today, this final week for many test takers, to gift each of you with information, which has successfully assisted people in 20 years I have worked with adults taking certification tests.

Thousands of students and court reporters have accomplished huge goals – one step at a time, one step, one step, sometimes only in one tiny step — then a wobble. The one step at a time awareness is where you find the greatest progress.

Each of you now has an opportunity to reach and to stretch, and I want to remind each of you to be gentle with yourself and to remain focused this final week. Many of you can see and taste this last lap.

Here’s some tips I have found to help many, many in your shoes this week.

This week make sure you are eating full meals. Eat meals and snack; focus on your blood sugar. Carbohydrates will give you long-term energy. Meals with pasta and rice are great for ensuring your body functions at peak performance. Proteins are geared for short-term energy. Balance the two, and you are in athletic training.

Drink water. You want to make sure you hydrate your body with water, perhaps green tea, Gatorade-type drinks. The soda may taste good, but soda dehydrates the body. Stress will contribute to depleting fluids from your body and warm temperatures also reduce your hydration. Drink water, fluids.

If you are taking a machine portion of the test, make sure your fingernails are at a level where you function at peak performance. Many students and reporters will have a manicure, and I quietly share that now is not the time to test those new acrylic tips. Go with what works best for you. You can reward yourself next week with a ‘new venture’.

As you move closer to the scheduled time, I want to remind you to notice your energy-awareness. You may become more sensitive at work and school, with your family and with yourself. Some call this ‘cranky’ — I prefer ‘sensitive’. This is normal. Once you are aware this is part of your preparation, you can acknowledge the awareness and let this test power prep work for you.

Make sure you are taking time out for you. Have you listened to your favorite CD? Is there a song or movie where you find inspiration? Have you remembered to laugh? When we are focused on a long-term goal, sometimes it is the little moments in our world that are the most effective.

Pack your equipment, and you, the night before the test. Gas the car. Make sure there are no road closures to the test site. I teach and advise you should be packed by mid-afternoon the day before. This will ensure the possibility of reducing the ‘oh, dang, where did I put …?’ moment.

Stretch and breathe. When we are stressed, we sit, shoulders hunched ‘up’ and breathe in shallow breaths. Breathe in, breathe out, slowly and regularly, in and out. Focus on regulating your breath. If you find your voice is higher than it normally is, you probably are shallow breathing.
The more oxygen your brain and body receives, the better you will function.

Ah, yes, sleep. The final two nights, I suggest taking a warm bath, shower, curling up with a loved one (human and/or pet) and being quiet. In your quiet moments, you will find great comfort.

Avoid people who are high maintenance – really. You want to be comforted and focused. If there are multiple pulls for your energy, your attention, you may want to remember you have earned the right to this peaceful, focused last week preparing for your goal.

The morning of your test, be careful on the high-test coffee-type drinks, colas. Caffeine will take you up in an energy burst and — will drop you down when the burst has bust.

I suggest each person should pack little packets of red grapes, non-salted peanuts, pretzels, nuts. There is an amazing abundance of energy to be found in red grapes and carb snacks.

As you enter the test premises, throw your shoulders back, chin up.
If this is a return walk into the premises, focus on ‘now’.
If this is your first virgin stroll, a click of your fingers or a moment in prayer may serve you ‘now’.

As you enter the room, if you find people in groups, avoid the chatting. You should specifically avoid anyone who is asking “What does this mean?” or “How do you write…?” This is your time.

You want to remain focused, flexible and focused on your test power prep awareness.

I wish each of you a blessed week. When you perform at your peak and focus on your success, you truly will remember why it is you chose this occupation.

And please know, we need you, too — really.

—–  Monette, named the Court Reporting Whisperer by students, may be reached:  Monette.purplebooks@CRRbooks.com

Purple Books – Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com   * Advance skills, pass NCRA and State exams the 1st time

Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal, CART Captioner, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist

Since 1990: Multiple Title Author of Books & Purple Books Test Prep for the Court Reporting, CART Captioning Profession

An American RealTime/Captioning Services, LLC: www.ARTCS.com        Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com

Have you failed NCRA’s RPR, RDR, or a State exam?  More than once?   Purple Books “Done in One” has a 98% successful pass rate on exams with sets as evidenced by thousands of students and professionals who pass their RPR, CSR, and RDR exams on the first test.   Testimonials: www.CRRbooks.com.

Reach Your Goals:  http://crrbooks.com/index.php?cPath=29  Where do you want to go? Specific custom-designed guidance will efficiently assist you!

About Monette Benoit:    As a 30+ year court reporter, CART captioner, author of NCRA and State test-prep material, instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and 225-homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands challenges many adults face in our industry.

In 1993, she began to CART caption to a large screen for a Deaf mass, San Antonio, Texas.  Wonderful opportunities then presented from Big D, Little D, Oral Deaf, HOH consumers -each with special moments.

Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART captioners, students, instructors. She has helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.

Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to reach the next level.

Monette’s Musings is an informative, motivational, and funny blog for busy professionals and students who seek to create their success and who seek to enjoy this special path.

02 May 2007