On tour with the MedtecBerater consultants

How do our MedtecBerater consultants view their assignments in the clinics? What challenges do they face, what makes them look forward to their next deployment and what obstacles do they take more easily in their stride from one assignment to the next? In our blog article 5, we revealed how we coach our consultants, preparing them to provide induction training for new products. Today, with the help of our consultant Jaqueline, we want to present their work from a different perspective by taking a look at the daily routine of a MedtecBerater consultant.

When we meet Jaqueline, she has come straight from a major kick-off for a new product, with training about to take place in one location for a full week. “It’s been a tiring but absolutely fascinating day,” Jaqueline says. Working with the clients and the local team, she’s spent the whole day in the operating theatre, providing guidance on using the new product in a live set-ting. “Seeing what goes on behind the scenes, finding out how medical technology works and how to reap its full potential in improving patient care has always appealed to me,” Jaqueline continues. Before becoming a MedtecBerater consultant, she spent nine years as an intensive care nurse in a clinic in North Germany.

In 2020, when an opening gave her a chance to switch sides, introducing nursing staff to new products or new functions of existing medical products, instead of being trained herself, she seized the opportunity with both hands. “For some time, I had been looking for ways to apply the knowledge I had gained from day-to-day clinical work in other contexts. MedtecBerater came along at exactly the right time.” Starting off with two assignments per month didn’t pose a risk for Jaqueline. “It meant that I could get a feel for the work before diving in,” the 36-year old recalls. Meanwhile, Jaqueline has left her position at the clinic and is employed by the MedtecBerater on a permanent basis, where she gives her full attention to consulting.

Remembering as if it were yesterday how nervous she was during her first assignment, she would never have thought that things would turn out this way. During this time, most of her consultations were conventional briefings in small groups. However, giving presentations was only the beginning; moving on to bedside inductions, she soon found herself instructing a patient on the new feature in a live setting. Now, most of her time is spent in the operating theatre or ICU, helping the local team with applications, providing assistance and answering questions on new products in the MedtecBerater portfolio. “The great thing is that I can now pass on the vast product expertise that I have developed intensively over the years,” says Jaqueline.

Every assignment comes with its own special challenge: will the technical equipment on the ward or operating theatre be suitable for presenting the product in the live induction? What technology, what cables and screens are used at the clinic? Although Jaqueline invariably liaises with the various coordinators to clarify these issues beforehand, she may find herself thrown in at the deep end on the day if something is missing or doesn’t work. But her open, communication-based approach stands her in good stead, enabling her to overcome all such obstacles so far.

The reactions on the job, when a MedtecBerater consultant arrives for an assignment, are very different. “Some nursing staff are eager to find out more and bombard me with questions, while others are more reserved. But that’s fine either way.” Over time, Jaqueline has learned the optimal response to the various personalities in clinics and teams. “Once they realise that I am also a trained nurse – one of them, as it were – it breaks the ice,” Jaqueline explains. The focus is invariably on in-depth knowledge about the product that, when properly deployed, aims to relieve the daily workload on the ward or in the operating theatre. Experiencing the eureka moments and seeing the devices being used to their full potential during return visits gives her great pleasure.

After an assignment, Jaqueline clarifies any questions she has with the clients directly. Open dialogue and constructive feedback are the key to successful collaboration; after all, we’re all working towards the same goal. Jaqueline’s curiosity and her determination to leave no question unanswered are what drive her on. Comparing notes with other MedtecBerater consultants is also extremely helpful. “I’m about to call Adam to hear how his assignment went today. We can always learn from each other,” Jaqueline says.

Although Jaqueline has established more of a routine, there’s never a dull moment. In 18 months as a MedtecBerater consultant, she has been to over 20 clinics, crossing the country by train from north to south, east to west. Next week, she’s off to a new location. On her mental list, she has already bought her train ticket, booked a hotel room and packed her suitcase. Jaqueline is looking forward to discovering what questions she’ll be asked, how the team is set up and how the medical products will contribute to ensuring optimal, onsite patient care. She clearly relishes the prospect.