This is a follow-up to my post of a few days ago.  What I thought would be a
bad day, dealing with a family whose baby was born with a cleft lip and
palate -or more precisely NOT dealing with them, as they were instructed the
baby couldn't be breastfed, buy had to have a bottle- which may or may not
have been true, it's just suspect because of who did the ordering(!), and 2
sets of triplets who won't get much help breastfeeding in SCN.    Anyway, I
ended that workday going to see a former patient who had a cleft palate baby
2 years ago and is now back with a new baby whose palate was intact.  They
remembered me from 2 years ago and asked if I'd come see them.  I did and
this little girl had no trouble latching on and nursing like a champ!  They
were so thrilled!

I chatted with her parents for a while and our discussion turned to the
nursing profession.  The father is an RN, having worked previously in ICU.
He went to work a year ago as a rep for a drug company.  It was funny that I
had just read the BMJ journal article that Rachel Myr posted about as well
as her reply.  The article was about the questionable ethics of drug
companies using respected physicians, what it called "opinion leaders", to
advance their drugs.  This father told me with great excitement and pride
how much money he now makes, "twice" what he made as a nurse, and the perks
were to die for.  He gets a free car, no payments no insurance, no limit on
where he can drive it to and his wife can drive it too, as well as periodic
"bonus" checks that arrive out of the blue just to say he's doing a good
job!  He said he attended a new drug kick-off banquet in a distant state a
few months ago where they had a free private concert by Kool and the Gang,
and a couple of the stars from Seinfeld participated in a skit for them.  He
and his wife, a teacher, were just amazed at how great life is as a drug
sales rep, though he did say that some of the docs treated him "like a rep"
now instead of like a nurse, the way he was used to.  I couldn't help but
replay that article in my head and draw the obvious correlation to formula
companies.  It sure opened my eyes a little wider about the politics of this
"game" or perhaps just put a face on it!  I mentioned not long ago about the
mugs from E*****l that now populate our unit, and I see them as well as all
the glitz and glamour this father described coming at a price.  Someone paid
for that stuff!  And of course in the case of formula companies, it comes at
the expense of the health of babies!

Knowing this stuff sure changes the way you look at things.  Used to be I'd
be happy for this dad and his good job, maybe even a little envious, now my
happiness is tempered with knowledge.  Now, I'd rather take my salary and do
what I do, knowing it makes a lasting difference for families and for
society.

Marsha, in Indiana where the sun is finally shining and my flowers are
happy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations
as all other earthly causes combined.
C. Abbot
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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