RN to Aesthetic NP
RN to Aesthetic NP My first job out of nursing school was working in Mother Baby/Postpartum/ Antepartum unit in the hospital. I quickly transitioned to Labor & Delivery where I found so much joy and passion in my career. So, why now aesthetics as an NP? I realized that the passion and joy in Labor & Delivery was derived from 1 factor. Happiness of my patients. I loved being a part of a momentous occasion in their lives. Of course, there were the extremely sad times, but those were far and few in between and honestly a rare occurrence. The joy and happiness that radiated from my patients after giving birth and having the opportunity to witness this over and over agin is a moment in my life I will never take for granted. I loved my job as a L&D RN. I honestly knew at that time in my life that my calling was to be a midwife. So strongly that I didn’t even think of any other path. When it was time to choose a focus during grad school, the FNP program was so competitive that they were only going to accept 3 students from our class of 30. The chances of getting in were slim and in reality that was not the path I wanted to take anyway, but why not. So I threw my application in knowing full well I was not going to be one of those 3. The midwifery track was not competitive so once I applied I was accepted. The only caveat, it had a couple year wait list. During this time, my husband was also applying to dental school. And, though he applied to all schools within 3 hours of my grad school, he threw his application out to Tufts in Boston as he thought it would be fun to be there while his cousin was there in school. The Lords Plan Well, the Lord always has a plan, and I can assure you it usually isn’t one you planned on, its better. At least that is how the Lord works in my life. To my greatest surprise, I was accepted into the FNP track. I cried. It was mostly tears of sadness because I knew that the Lord desired this track for me due to my families situation, but deep down it was not what I wanted. I had a burning desire to be a midwife, to assist moms birthing babies into this world. Looking back I can see exactly why that was not the plan for me. As a mother of 2 at this point, and desiring more children, becoming a midwife is not just a career, it is a lifestyle. It is a career that you devote so much effort and energy to, outside of your normal working hours. And, at that time, I could not wait 2-3 years before starting my program because my husband was accepted into Tufts in Boston and that meant at the least we would be living in 2 different states for 1 year. What a whirlwind of emotions, but something I am forever grateful for. As I progressed through my program, I realized that not only was I meant to be in this FNP track, but it was exactly where I was supposed to be. We did live 1 year apart during my last year of my program. I had 2 children at home, 1 in elementary school and 1 with a nanny and I was pregnant with our 3rd. I also worked sporadic nights and weekends at the local hospital in labor and delivery. Honestly, my nanny was an angel sent to assist me during this time. I would have never made it without her. At that time, my husband was living in Boston starting his first year of dental school. He would fly home about every 6 weeks to visit, then back to Boston. We survived, and only by the grace of God will I even know how, but we did. Thinking of that time now, it’s a blur, as I’m not sure how we did it. But, I do know that it was exactly what was supposed to happen. The first year of dental school is extremely challenging. My husband spent most of his days, 5 am to 10pm commuting to and from school and studying. It would have been so difficult to try to coordinate all of that while the two of us were in our studies. Choosing an NP career When I graduated from NP school, I decided that I needed to step away from Women’s health and see if there were other options out there. I had 2 job offers, 1 in a OB/Gyn office and another at a correctional facility in Boston. To everyones surprise, I chose the correctional facility. And, to this day, I am so glad I did. My mentor, an FNP who had been practicing for over 5 years, took me under her wing and taught me everything she knew. She honestly gave me the confidence that I have today to be in this field and to feel like I can do hard things. She was the best thing that happened to me and I am forever grateful for her. Of course, at the correctional facility I became the GYN lead and over the Women’s Clinic, which, naturally, I loved. After my 1.5 year stint at the correctional facility, I went on to work in Urgent Care. I was actually a MA in urgent care for years while in college before going back to grad school. So, it was a natural transition, and to this day I still moonlight in urgent care. Why aesthetics? So, after all this, why aesthetics? When we moved to Oregon after my husband graduated, I realized I wanted to take that leap into the aesthetics field. It had to do with my days in Labor & Delivery, believe it or not. I know, why on earth does
Misconceptions… around aesthetics and more.
Misconceptions… around aesthetics and more. Since I have been in aesthetic medicine, I have noticed how many misconceptions there are out there in regards to this practice. Many people believe that when you get TOX and fillers, you look like an over-plumped “fish face,” as they say. The misconception is that is NOT the product, that is actually the injector or client preference. There are providers out there whose main interest is making money, and they really don’t are how they do it. There are many clients out there who find themselves loving the way they look after a good treatment, and then going back for more in a short amount of time. In turn, they are getting too much filler in one area, i.e. over-plumped or too much TOX- that causes clients to not be able to make adequate facial expression, i.e. frozen face. Body dysmorphia is real, and it is certainly alive and well in aesthetics. These clients keep going back to the office, and the provider keeps accepting them as a client and continues to provide their treatment. This isn’t to say its all the providers fault or all the clients, but as a provider we are given the ability to make a clinical judgment and we are actually licensed and advised to do so. I’ve found myself in a position where I have to have the hard discussion with the client. I then realized that evaluating the client, not just physically, but also their mental health is imperative. I ask myself– Is this individual doing other treatments. If so, are they going elsewhere? What else are they having done? How often are they getting a treatment? I also think to myself — this individual is my walking billboard. Do I want them to represent me and my work? If the answer is no, then the answer to the client is no. Using my license to make clinical decisions is imperative, even in aesthetics. AIYANA was founded on the principle that beauty comes from within, naturally. I am not here to change the way you look. I am here to enhance the natural contours of your face, to give you a little plump where the plumping used to be or to smooth out those pesky lines that are getting deeper than they originally were. I find myself circling back to my mission over and over again while in practice and I know my clients appreciate it. It is critical to have ground to stand on as a practitioner, a mission that you fully believe in that you can reiterate to your patients. As a nurse practitioner, I have the ability to step into this space as a medical director as well as a practicing nurse injector. What is so great is the autonomy it affords me to build a practice and provide compete care for my clients. The certification/training for nurse injecting is pretty ambiguous, and really there is nothing solidified in law that prohibits anyone from doing injections in a lot of states. However, when it comes to patient safety, which is my utmost priority, it is imperative that practitioners have adequate training. It has been know that estheticians have been injecting in the past, and some may still be today. Injecting WITHOUT any medical training is so dang scary. Insert Groupon deals, or Botox for a few dollars a unit. Be aware, it is out there! It is advisable, if you are looking to get injections, to do your research. Ask about training and education. Ask about experience. It is so important that you know who you are going to and that they are going to have the highest standards and safety rating. Aesthetics does not deserve the bad reputation it has been given in the past. No longer are clients looking for that overfilled, super tight look. They want a natural, soft, glowing look that still resembles themselves. AIYANA has got you covered. Recent Posts