They also supervise other stenographers, typists, and clerical workers. Technical stenographers must know the medical, legal, engineering, or scientific terminology used in a particular profession. Working Conditions Court Reporters work in the offices of attorneys, courtrooms, legislatures, and conventions. Transcriptionists work in hospitals, doctors' offices, or medical transcription services. An increasing number of court reporters and medical transcriptionists work from home-based offices as subcontractors for law firms, hospitals, and transcription services.
Stenographers usually work in clean, well-lighted offices.
Sitting in the same position for long periods can be tiring, and workers can suffer wrist, back, neck, or eye problems due to strain, and risk repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The pressure to be accurate and fast can also be stressful. A substantial number of court reporters and medical transcriptionists, however, are self-employed, which may result in irregular, long working hours. Employment Court Reporters medical transcriptionists, and stenographers held 98,000 jobs in 1996. More than 1 in 4 were self-employed.