Nurse selling to patient

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I would like some input from my colleagues. I work in supervision of home care nurses. I found that a nurse was selling items to one of her patients. Nothing bad and the patient is appreciative of receiving the items. But doesn't this break the nurse: client relationship. I thought nurses were not supposed to have transactions or gifts from clients no matter how harmless they may seem. I let the director of nursing know about the situation and they are okay with this occurring. Am I just being too picky????

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

No, you're absolutely right. Nurses should not be selling anything to patients, at any time or for any reason---not even their kid's magazine fundraiser. There is an imbalance of power between patients and healthcare providers, which makes it unethical to have financial transactions between them. It's a big no-no. I'm surprised at the attitude of your DON.

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I've never worked in home care, but anywhere I have worked over the years, that would be a firing offense. No question.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
No, you're absolutely right. Nurses should not be selling anything to patients, at any time or for any reason---not even their kid's magazine fundraiser. There is an imbalance of power between patients and healthcare providers, which makes it unethical to have financial transactions between them. It's a big no-no. I'm surprised at the attitude of your DON.

Fireable offense, without a doubt.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

The only exception I could see is if the nurse casually mentions they're having a garage sale, and the client says "Hey, I'll take all the picture frames you're getting rid of". Even that is borderline.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Oooh...not a good choice. It's a conflict of interest at best, an abuse of perceived authority at worst.

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Specializes in Huntingtons, LTC, Ortho, Acute Care.

This is murky water to tread on. I personally wouldn't do it, but know of nurse who have. In the hospital setting this is an extreme no-no. I guess to find out the problem would be to figure out how the patient came to this agreement....

Were the solicited? Or was this word of mouth?

Theres a a huge difference between the nurse going "now Sally I sell the supplements you take daily anyway" and the patient going "I want to add supplements to my daily meds, but not sure what company to go with, and the nurse explaining the company she works for and what her supplements do or guarantee" both still not appropriate mix but one is way worse than the other for sure

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If they are your client/patient/underling then don't sell to them.

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So many things wrong with it, not least of all just plain sleazy.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Just about every place I've every worked had a prohibitive rule re "NO SOLICITING" by employees. Yet the AVON, Tupperware, Girl Scout books, etc all abound at the desk area without any management discouragement. Esp annoying is when multiple AVON ladies leave their books.

This is mostly employee-to-employee sales, but I have seen where pts place orders (esp in LTC).

Not a good idea! I really can't think of any reason for a nurse to be conducting money transactions with a pt - NONE. When a disagreement comes up, the nurse will always lose out. I've been burnt even by nsg coworkers, so I learned my lesson a looong time ago!

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I brought candy bars in to sell to the staff at work. (we have a loose policy on this) and felt funny when a resident insisted on buying one. (this was LTC). I got bullied into it by them "Listen, I am already on my way to the vending machine so I either buy it from you and support your kids school or give it to the "man" LOL.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
I brought candy bars in to sell to the staff at work. (we have a loose policy on this) and felt funny when a resident insisted on buying one. (this was LTC). I got bullied into it by them "Listen, I am already on my way to the vending machine so I either buy it from you and support your kids school or give it to the "man" LOL.

That seems different than an ongoing nurse-patient-Young Living consultant-client relationship, though. ;) You weren't soliciting anyone, and that was an independent choice on the res's part to buy the candy bar from the box vs "the Man". Where I work we can leave catalogs/info in the break room -- a lot of moms do this for fundraisers, and the occasional MLM consultant -- we just can't approach a colleague.

A lot of the MLM stuff is health/body related like essential oils, cosmetics, skin care etc. That is particularly troubling because it implies professional endorsement. Now I can maybe see if a LTC res knows a nurse sells Arbonne and expresses interest, and the nurse gives them contact info for other area consultants *for the res to contact*... but even then I would want to get the DON's advice first. Becoming their consultant and telling them about her catalogue parties and special deals...no way.

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