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NHS nurse to medical device sales?

5 replies

icebird · 14/05/2026 23:39

Hi, Im a NHS nurse of 3 years looking to enter medical device sales. I am about to start my new job in icu but I was wondering what should I do to put myself in the best position to obtain the product specialist/ sales associate roles? Thanks

OP posts:
WarmHare · 15/05/2026 07:51

Does your trust have link nurses/nurse champion roles on the wards, if so could you become the link nurse for medical devices….
Maybe look into becoming the “trainer” for the devices on your ward.

NT2018 · 15/05/2026 10:02

I’m a senior nurse in career planning and education.

It’s a good sector for nurses.

If you have an eye on a particular condition area then, as the PP said, try and become the ICU link for that area such as wound care, resp conditions, haem conditions etc.

Communication and presentation skills are key for role so take any opportunity you can to hone those by doing teaching sessions in your unit for students etc. I’ve seen lots of confident nurses fail in the med sales sector because they couldn’t make the jump in this. Being good at communicating with patients and relatives doesn’t translate to doing it at scale with senior professionals charged with buying your product line.

Also start honing your commercial knowledge. Learn about the hospital procurement process and gain a basic understanding of commercial sales and marketing. Again, I’ve met really knowledgeable nurses who struggled to get their head around the commercial aspect of medical sales coming from the public sector.

If any medical reps come to your unit, use it as an opportunity to ask questions and you can even ask them if you can shadow them one day…in your own time of course!

Dont be shy to make your own opportunities and it’s great that you are already thinking of your next step.

Best of luck

icebird · 15/05/2026 11:21

WarmHare · 15/05/2026 07:51

Does your trust have link nurses/nurse champion roles on the wards, if so could you become the link nurse for medical devices….
Maybe look into becoming the “trainer” for the devices on your ward.

Yeah I think they have link nurse roles, I’ll try to become one of those, thank you!

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icebird · 15/05/2026 11:22

NT2018 · 15/05/2026 10:02

I’m a senior nurse in career planning and education.

It’s a good sector for nurses.

If you have an eye on a particular condition area then, as the PP said, try and become the ICU link for that area such as wound care, resp conditions, haem conditions etc.

Communication and presentation skills are key for role so take any opportunity you can to hone those by doing teaching sessions in your unit for students etc. I’ve seen lots of confident nurses fail in the med sales sector because they couldn’t make the jump in this. Being good at communicating with patients and relatives doesn’t translate to doing it at scale with senior professionals charged with buying your product line.

Also start honing your commercial knowledge. Learn about the hospital procurement process and gain a basic understanding of commercial sales and marketing. Again, I’ve met really knowledgeable nurses who struggled to get their head around the commercial aspect of medical sales coming from the public sector.

If any medical reps come to your unit, use it as an opportunity to ask questions and you can even ask them if you can shadow them one day…in your own time of course!

Dont be shy to make your own opportunities and it’s great that you are already thinking of your next step.

Best of luck

These are very good points that I will consider and work on, I really appreciate your input!

OP posts:
Raera · 15/05/2026 11:47

I did it, however many years ago. Retired now but went from District Nurse to wound and ostomy sales, did it for over 20 years.
It's not a walk in the park at all and these days so much product choice is ruled by formulary inclusion and not by prescribers as it was when I started out.
In my company there were sales people (as I was). Also medical roles who did no direct selling but did product development and training, in our company they had been Tissue Viability, Diabetes Podiatrists and Vascular Specialists.
Money is better than nursing but the hours and pressure are a lot worse.

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