Overheard at the coffee shop

[JustBeachyNurse]

I stop for coffee to relax between clients. I'm sitting here and some people are louder than others. Apparently a young lady is having a "training session" to become a medical device sales rep. Clearly neither have a clinical patient care background as they are taking in circles about the product. They are sales reps. It's an interesting conversation how he's telling her how to strong arm her way into the facility to witness the device insertion procedure claiming the physician is expecting her. How to talk patients into letting her into the room if questioned. How to get physicians to improve productivity. How to talk around non-FDA approved off label uses. How they are going to lose money if people do preventative care rather than treatment for co-mobirdities later. How to try and sell physicians on off label use by scripting, and coaching her how to answer any road block or question put forth by the physician. Pushing the cost of care to support their view.

Scary. It's funny how they are skirting reality by using sales tactics.

[Asystole RN]

That's an easy mistake to make when one reads about the salaries and bonuses paid to the top executives at many hospitals -- which also makes it difficult to sympathize when those same executives poormouth the hospital and carry on about how we all need to cut costs and save money.

I had a job in the past, as a hospital surveyor for my state and CMS, in which I traveled all over my state and talked to administrators in hospitals large and small all over my state. I did not find that many of them had any particular interest in the welfare of their staff. I found them to be primarily concerned with the financial "bottom line" of the hospital. But maybe you're meeting a nicer class of hospital executives.

To be honest, as a surveyor you entered the hospital in almost an adversarial role with punitive powers. When people are making excuses for issues usually fiscal reasons are tossed out. Keep in mind that if the blame is placed on funding there is an excuse to lobby for increased federal and state level funding...from the adversarial and punitive agency you represented.

When I enter the hospital I enter as a partner. I am there not to point out issues but to sit down with them and work out non-punitive solutions to their issues. I am sure they are more honest with me when addressing issues because there is no way they are going to admit to a surveyor that they have been noticing a marked decrease in hand washing and are seeking interventions to increase compliance...I am sure everything is either "everything is fine" or "we suck because we have no money, give us more money!"

Very different roles that will determine how you are treated.

[elkpark]

"Partner"? You're a salesperson. Rationalize it however you like, that's what you are.

My reference to executives talking about cutting costs was based on my experiences as a hospital employee, not as a surveyor. The hospital executives I encountered knew much better than to ever mention cost as an excuse for anything in front of a surveyor. Additionally, the regulatory agency for which I worked had nothing to do with hospital funding.

[Asystole RN]

"Partner"? You're a salesperson. Rationalize it however you like, that's what you are.

My reference to executives talking about cutting costs was based on my experiences as a hospital employee, not as a surveyor. The hospital executives I encountered knew much better than to ever mention cost as an excuse for anything in front of a surveyor. Additionally, the regulatory agency for which I worked had nothing to do with hospital funding.

I apologize if you were offended by my statements. This statement confused me.

I had a job in the past, as a hospital surveyor for my state and CMS, in which I traveled all over my state and talked to administrators in hospitals large and small all over my state. I did not find that many of them had any particular interest in the welfare of their staff. I found them to be primarily concerned with the financial "bottom line" of the hospital. But maybe you're meeting a nicer class of hospital executives.

I am not sure why a "salesperson" cannot also be a partner? Granted, my company sells products that the hospital purchases but not all companies that sell products are predatory by nature. If you company wants to maximize sales within a short period of time then predatory "used-car salesmen" tactics are the way to go. If your company has been around for over 100 hundred years and is looking sales goals not for next quarter but the next century then partnerships are the way to go.

A partnership implies that both entities work together to resolve issues and both entities profit from the relationship.

Like I have said in previous posts, much of my time is working on projects that have nothing to do with my products or there is zero potential for current sales.

Not everyone, or every company for that matter, are complete unethical jerks. Not every company outsources their manufacturing, not every company gouges their prices, not every company has only money in it's eyes. Some of us truly believe that we can sell a product or service ethically and help the healthcare industry and ultimately the patients whom we all serve.

Is the nursing profession nothing but a bunch of unethical predators because we are compensated for our work?

[CarpeDiem'15]

How they are going to lose money if people do preventative care rather than treatment for co-mobirdities later.

^^ THAT makes my blood boil! It's damn depressing and a shame that we have to live in a society where businesses/policies/economies are contingent on the suffering of our fellow man. But this makes me all the more determined to do something about this as a nurse, from making sure that my patients follow preventative care measures to being actively involved in public health policy making that will help increase access to preventative care. Fire's lit in my belly!!!