When most people think about providing CART, they might picture conferences, classrooms, or courtrooms. But for Lisa Conley Yungblut, RPR, CRR, an official from Cincinnati, Ohio, one assignment took her into a world of invention, innovation, and high-tech medical engineering.
Between 2016 and 2018 Conley Yungblut provided CART services for a medical equipment inventor. The work would end up taking her to labs, simulator rooms, and even Jawacdah Farm, a sprawling private resort and conference center owned by the company Hillenbrand in Batesville, Ind.
JCR | What did a typical day on assignment look like?
LCY | There wasn’t really a typical day. Michael [the inventor] scheduled CART whenever he had to present to a group, attend planning sessions, give demonstrations, or train others. Sometimes we were in his offices with just a few people. Other times, we were at Jawacdah Farm, which has a lodge, conference rooms, and a full restaurant at Walhill Farm.
JCR | What was most interesting about this work?
LCY | Honestly, a lot of the tech parts were very far above my understanding! It was all about medical equipment, but It was interesting seeing comparisons between different companies’ products and how small changes are made to use the same thing in different settings. It was also interesting to watch inventors go through the trial-and-error process, problem solve, and troubleshoot.
JCR | Were there any unique challenges to captioning this environment?
LCY | There were many challenges! It was about an hour drive each way and some days were long, maybe six hours. What was unique were the days we were in the testing garage or testing/training rooms. I would follow Michael with my writer and laptop, and he held an iPad to view my realtime.
He moved around a lot and was turning equipment on and off, and usually several others were following him and talking to both him and one another.
Yungblut added that while the work was demanding, there were unexpected perks: “The meals and snacks were gourmet-level. Sometimes I could just enjoy them and relax, but other times Michael wanted to keep discussing business, so I’d sit at the table writing as we ate.”
JCR | How did this experience impact your career?
LCY | It definitely grew my vocabulary and steno dictionary. To this day, when I happen to see one of those devices, it all comes back!
Conley Yungblut’s experience is a reminder that providing CART isn’t just about writing words. It’s also about making complex information accessible in real time, even when the subject matter is highly specialized.
“Going into a CART assignment was always full of unknowns and unexpected experiences,” she said. “But it was also very rewarding. One of the best parts of this profession is having such diverse opportunities.”
Lisa Conley Yungblut, RPR, CRR, is an official from Cincinnati, Ohio. You can contact her at lisamcy13@gmail.com
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