stewstew03

This is very creepy... are you stalking me?

Good comments (excluding the jabs against me)

Yes, exactly icuRNmaggie. I'm here on allnurses-dot-com because I'm hoping to expropriate all your comments and then strike it rich by signing a 3-year multimillion dollar contract with an unsuspecting hospital CFO. Brilliant. What was that you were saying about naivete...?

Interesting take. Assuming it's true -- I still don't see how asking a question, the answer to which the inquisitor already knows, would be "insulting." Annoying, perhaps -- but insulting?

Unlike those who make hasty generalizations about ALL consultants, my experiences on this board will not impact my opinion of nurses. I know there are bad apples in every bunch -- and the internet provides a veil where people can be as nasty as they want to be without consequences. Besides, most nurses I know (friends and those working for clients) are salt-of-the-earth kinds of people; very professional and genuinely caring individuals.

In summary, the reaction seems to be: (1) consultants are lower than pond scum; (2) consultants don't know anything about what nurses experience; (3) consultants don't care enough to ask about what nurses experience; and (4) even if consultants did care to ask, nurses wouldn't say anything because of #1. We never get involved with nurse unions because of bargaining agreements. We leave that up to hospital leadership.

Just one. Nine out of ten times, when a hospital hires our firm, it's either because (a) they're struggling to keep the hospital open, or (b) they're struggling to compete with the Magnet hospital down the street.

Often, when we arrive on site, there are those within the organization who have great ideas to solve systemic issues, but there is too much disagreement to move those ideas forward. In those situations, our best approach is to help those individuals move their ideas forward by refining them and gaining consensus from recalcitrant stakeholders.

start a new thread

I thought you had moved on, but you seem to be taking this personally -- why not start a new thread rather than hijack this one?

Oh, sure icuRNmaggie -- let me just go ahead post that on the interwebs...

Excellent post, thank you!

As an outsider (consultant) who recently joined AN, my perspective is that there are a few posters who spoil it for the rest. I've only been here two weeks and I've already been called a heartless "hack" who doesn't care about nurses. How's that for a warm welcome...?!

no depends i think i'll be okay best of luck to you

Respect runs in both directions -- is calling me a hack respectful? A few of you have been respectful - and for that I applaud you.

No - they are a nonprofit organization. But (in the spirit of transparency) I do have clients across all industries -- energy and aerospace, for example -- not just healthcare. I listed "healthcare consultant" when signing up because that is what is germane to this forum.

I have, yes -- but when they do, as you suggest in your question, the decrease in base wages might be offset by variable pay. From my perspective, I would prefer executives (regardless of industry) have a greater proportion of "at-risk" pay -- that way, they have to accomplish certain goals/objectives before receiving the full value of their total rewards package. And we frequently recommend both financial and non-financial measures as part of the incentive program (e.g., profitability and employee engagement).

Thanks, and I agree -- which is why I prefaced my question with "nurses are the hardest hit." I cannot make decisions in a hospital -- all I can do is make recommendations based on the analysis of data provided to our project team.

Sometimes they implement our recommendations, sometimes they don't.

Okay, yes -- you got me. I logged into allnurses dot com because I wanted to ignore the vast resources at my disposal within my consulting firm... So far, I've been called a hack and have been accused of poaching information. Are some of you so downtrodden at work that you resort to self-aggrandizing on the internet? Professionalism and courtesy are overrated anyway, I suppose... cheers.

yes yes no

I don't "need information." Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, but it is helpful to read the constructive comments that many are posting. I suppose I could have disguised myself and said I was a nurse, or a student, but I didn't. I've been completely honest and transparent. As an aside - my work focuses solely on compensation (not productivity). And, as I said in a previous post, sometimes the recommendation put forth is to increase the total rewards package for one or more groups. There have also been times (as you alluded to) when we've observed rates that are above market, but don't recommend reducing the rate because any costs recovered would be offset by increased turnover and poor employee engagement (and ultimately causing patient care to suffer).

Usually the only people we are allowed to meet with when we're on site are the C Suite (usually CFO, CNO, and CHRO) and nurse management.

I don't have shareholders - and the firm that I work for is a private entity.

I agree. But what often happens is that the administration will bring in consultants to do the "dirty work" so to speak. Either the administration is unable to implement and effect change, or they want to distance themselves from what must be done to keep the hospital doors open.