Marketing

LoisJean · May 21, 2003

Here's a thought, T: From your post it sounds like you have done a good job of putting out out info about your business, but in my experience it is a better idea to show people your face.

Traditionally, IF the docs get the business cards, (often they don't), they put them in the circular file under their desk. People in general are not going to read posted ads in grocery stores, post offices and so on...not the type of people you're looking for, anyway. Newspaper ads are okay but many people are leery of ads which offer these types of services because there is no way to determine the 'honesty' of such services or the people providing them. So......

get your face into the arena by personally visiting Senior Centers (and Agencies on Aging) and talking with the Directors there; setting up a 15 minute appointment with the local docs to present your services- (and yes, you may have to pay him/her for the time you take, but it will be worth it-because in any business MONEY TALKS); contact your local Medicaid Waiver office and see if there are contracts available through them for the type of services you want to provide.

Make up brochures or have them made up for you that clearly state what your services are; your qualifications and the type of public sector that you want to serve-above all make sure you state in your brochure WHY your service is needed. These brochures can be placed (with permission) in doctor's offices, pharmacies, businesses that sell durable medical goods, etc., and they should be handed out to everyone you come into contact with who might be able to give you a leg up.

When you meet with a doc, for instance, immediately after stating your name and rank, ("Hi, I'm RN, T"), shaking his hand and thanking him for his time your next move is to hand him a brochure, and at the same time look him squarely in the eye and say something like: "Here is my brochure, Doctor, I think you will find the information in it quite interesting". Then start talking about NOT what you WANT to do but what you are ABOUT to do.

RNs and LPNs who desire the Entrepreneural way of life-especially in the area of community nursing- need to present themselves in a Professional way. Tacking up notices in grocery stores, etc does not get it. Not if you want to be taken seriously.

I hope some of this might help, T. What you want to do is so very necessary these days...and will become more so in the days to come.

One other thought, T: While we are dealing with an increasing elderly poplulation, they are a population of folks who are of a different generational mind set. Dependence on the adult child is not nearly as common as it was 20 years ago.

Community Services for the elderly have been put in place as a direct result of Federal lobbying by the very group of people who are now deemed Senior Citizens. So, rather than seek out the adult children, it may be a faster and better way of getting your business off the ground by going to those agencies that have the programs of care already in place.

Cuts in Medicare funding are being felt in every State. The need for the Private Sector, Self Employed Nurse is here and now. In order to convince the elderly public that their out of pocket dollars will be well spent, the Entrepreneural Nurse must prove that her services are well worth it.

Keep us posted on your progress, T. We're all with you 110%!

Peace,

Lois Jean

nurseT · May 22, 2003

Hi Loisjean. Thank you, Thankyou, for your advice. Do you know if I have to contact my state to apply for a m-caid provider number or do I simply contact the local Ageing and in home? I have spoken with the dir, at my local Ageing and in home and explained what I was doing. She was very excited about it and stated I would be the only RN she would be placing on her list of resources as no one else has offered. She did tell me that she was a m-caid waiver agent but at the time we did not discuss the waiver further. I feel sheepish about calling her back without more information, don't want to appear unprofessional. Thanks again, T

LoisJean · May 23, 2003

Hi, T! First, don't ever feel sheepish about what you don't know...but, this is all kind of like sex for the first time...most of us have a sense of what's expected of us but we don't have a clue as to what that is, really!

I am not required to obtain a mediaid provider number....that number was obtained for me when I signed the contract between myself and the agency. In fact, I don't have a clue as to what my provider number is...all I know is that it's on file in their office-not mine. So, don't concern yourself with that...believe me, once you've signed a contractural agreement with your State waiver agency, they will number you!

What you may want to do is ask the Medicaid waiver agent what steps you need to take in order to apply for a contract with the Waiver agency.

I'm very excited for you, T. You have started out the right way and I can easily see that you will be successful in your endeavor. I'm glad that I could help you in some small way.

Again: Please keep us posted because we are definately unique in the area of nursing service and each of us need to see each other's input in this forum. Until I realized that this site was available on allnurses I felt like the only fish in the pool. How great it is to finally have the support and understanding of so many nurses who, like me, desire independence in our chosen profession.

Peace,

Lois Jean

jadednurse · May 23, 2003

Have you thought about advertising on the internet? I have no clue what that would involve, but I do know that in this day and age when I'm looking for any kind of service I'm most likely to check online before anything else. Good luck!

nightingale, RN · May 23, 2003

Originally posted by LoisJean
Keep us posted on your progress, T. We're all with you 110%!

Peace,
Lois Jean

and...

Again: Please keep us posted because we are definately unique in the area of nursing service and each of us need to see each other's input in this forum. Until I realized that this site was available on allnurses I felt like the only fish in the pool. How great it is to finally have the support and understanding of so many nurses who, like me, desire independence in our chosen profession.

Yes... Please let us know how you are doing.:)

nurseT · May 23, 2003

Loisjean, Thank you again! I phoned my local ageing and in home again and she said they only provide the homemaker services, and gave me the regional number to call. I called and the first person I talked to said " we don't contract with individual nurses, only liscensed agencies" but gave me to someone else who souned like a sloth on 2 tons of ativan, she would not answer any of my questions but said "give me your address and I'll send you an application". Who knows what I'll be getting in the mail! I read our state M-caid waiver site and it states that nursing can be IC if client chooses. I guess I just havent got another clue who to contact. Maybe, just maybe, client has the right to have this through the state but state doesn't really want to do it. Maybe that's why no one knows about it in the first place. I could understand the reluctance on the state's end as far as having to go to numerous private offices to conduct their annual surveys, but gee wiz. I'll keep you posted on the progress. T

nurseT · May 31, 2003

I finally got the information / application packet for waiver program in the mail from my state. Along with license, the current TB, criminal Hx check, and numerous other proofs , I'm required to send in my policies and procedures for certain for pt safety issues etc. Well, I don't have any formal policies typed up so I see I still have alot to do. I had also faxed my resume to a rather large company that uses independent / contract nurses. I won't say the name but they run numerous group homes for the MR/DD population. They provide numerous services and then bill the state. When they called me they said I would be responsible for assessments, documentation in pt record at the home, calling physician as needed, training the staff/UAP that work at the home on pt care, medication etc. Plus be available to staff by phone if difficulties arrise with pt. Each pt was only allowed 4 units of nursing per month. 1 unit = 15 minutes. The units did not include staff training, time spent coordinating healthcare needs, travel or being on call for the home. The pay was very small considering all that I would be responsible for and much lower than what I charge. They said if they raise their rates or no one else applies they would call me back. I don't look at any of this as failure to achieve independence but as a learning experience to add to my current knowledge. I will have to take a PRN at an LTC to get some cash and just keep working at my business. Thanks for all the advice. T

nightingale, RN · May 31, 2003

Nurse T:

Wow.. that does sound like a lot of responsibility from your end with the contracted company. I submitted once (maybe same company) to one when I was in a different state; they realized I was moving out of state and declined my resume.

Everyone talks about Medicaire rates being low to the business but it must be adequate with all the businesses that have HHC. Those fancy offices must be paid somehow. We do have quite an advantage, as an independent contractor, because we can choose our overhead costs and keep them minimal.

I will be ready by summer's end to set up for just that same type of process you went through.

Do you have sample paperwork to help you? Like the CNA (certified nurse assistent) forms and the other paperwork you need to proceed? I wonder if we can help each other through that.

Thanks for your update and good luck to you. Keep us posted.