Aesthetic Registered Nurse Salary

WestCoastNP · May 8, 2015

I'm a Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner working in a plastic surgery office in a high COL area. It's just me and the Plastic Surgeon. I do all of the non-surgical stuff (neuromodulators, full range of dermal fillers, laser/light for skin conditions, cyst/mole removals, etc). I earn a six figure base salary plus 15% of net profit for my side of the practice. This year I'll end up right around 200K. Full medical, dental, profit-sharing 401(k), paid holidays and no weekends. No call. Granted, I'm an NP and completely autonomous (just me and my front desk/patient coordinator 3 out of 5 days of the week). I would imagine compensation varies widely depending upon your training, related experience, location in which you practice, your business skills, etc.

christy38 · Jul 5, 2015

I'm curious how you got started in this specialty of nursing. I am currently working toward becoming a nurse practitioner. I've still got a couple of years of school before I am finished. Currently I work for as an RN case manager for a Hospice. I would love to get into aesthetic nursing once I finish school. Would my chances be better if I got a job with a dermatologist now? I've been at my current job for 5 years and it offers a lot of flexibility. I've been trying to figure out if it's worth it to switch jobs now or if I would be better off trying to get into aesthetics once I'm through with school.

generosa · Oct 16, 2015

Hi Cosmetic RN, BSN

I wish I knew more about being a nurse injector but my experience as a critical care nurse in a busy ICU unit has prevented me from seeing this opportunity. I have been so busy with life, work and etc., that it is now that I want to FOCUS on "me" and what I do best.."artist."

Thanks for your input..

Generosa

KendallSumar · Dec 3, 2015

I am a RN looking to further my degree and get into the aesthetics field. I would take any advice that you or anyone has about making this dream a reality.

GOP-RN · Jan 18, 2016

Hi Kendall,

My background is in Perinatal and I switched to Aesthetics almost a year and a half ago with no formal training. I have always been interested in aesthetics and rejuvenation and became passionate about it 17 years ago at the first stick of the Botox needle! I was fortunate to be trained by my boss (she is an NP with a background in ER and is now an injector). While I had some knowledge when I began, it was all primarily learned on the job. You can get your ASPSN if you are going to the surgical side, but for aesthetics, there are no real professional/accredited "certifications". There are places that offer training (very expensively) that will give you a certificate upon completion of their course but it isn't necessary. If you can get with someone that will allow you to shadow them for a couple of months and train you, the reps (i.e. Allergan, Merz, Galderma,etc. ) will come in and offer training.

In my case, the pay and benefits aren't as high as what I made in the hospital but I am very happy and have a great sense of job satisfaction and low stress.

I wish you the best of luck!!

Gabriela Smith, RN

BH303 · Feb 9, 2016

I am making $25 per hour at a plastic surgery/med spa center in the southeast. No commission, no benefits (other than free services). It was a hard pill to swallow taking such a pay cut from making $40/hr. I am in NP school so this is part of my greater plan and I believe it will be worth it. No nights, weekends or holidays is a nice trade-off.

blondie540 · Mar 27, 2016

Is there any free online courses that I could take to get any CEU's is cosmetic/dermatologic/aesthetic nursing. I have looked at several various online and short term botox programs that are $1500+. I am looking for any free education to educate myself and potentially place on my resume'. Thank you for your help!

Sparkleygirl · Mar 30, 2016

Hi Im a NZ Registered Nurse that has been working in Sydney Australia for the past 23 years, I have been working the the Cosmetic medicine industy injecting neuromodulators and dermal fillers for the past 17 years, I am seriously considering coming to Dubai to pursue this type of job I couldn't go back to the hospital system I love what I do so much, I have worked in some of the high end clinics here in Sydney, does anyone know if I would have to sit an exam? And also I know the salaries vary by the sounds of it but what am I approximately looking at in Dubai? Thank you for your help guys.

I just feel a pull to Dubai cant ignore it, not sure how hard it is to get a visa, I know someone who is a Registered Nurse in a hospital over there, but I just want to stick with aesthetic medicine.

Sonia

Maevish, ASN, RN · May 17, 2016

Hi Cosmetic RN,
Unfortunately I don't know if I have the proper credentials to answer your question, but websites such as glassdoor.com , salary.com , etc. might help. I'm in my last semester of nursing school and I'm very interested in working in a Plastic surgeons office. Do you know what these types of offices look for as far as experience? PACU or OR experience perhaps? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! And goodluck!!

They usually want at least a year of PACU/ICU experience because at a lot of offices, the staff is minimal (unless you're at a huge office). You have to know s/s of the negative effects of the drugs you're giving and have ACLS/BLS certification and, if you do conscious sedation, you may have to do a certification test (unless you have one from a previous employer). You're also recovering pts and you have to know what problems to look for, post op, with each surgery.

If they don't want you to at least have a year or two of telemetry nursing, I'd be shocked (and frankly, appalled) because you need the basics of rhythm monitoring cause you're the one, in conscious sedation cases, looking after the VS during the procedure as well as sedating patients. Not to mention getting the hang of the charting and efficiency/time management.

I made $35/hour at the facial plastic surgeon's office (which was about $12-$15 less an hour than I made at the hospital at that time), but it was a fun job so I didn't mind. In the Bay Area I made $45/hr, but it wasn't as fun, so go figure. Neither place offered benefits, but they did offer free services (facials, peels, etc) or discounts on procedures.

It's a lot of fun and good luck!

xo

Maevish, ASN, RN · May 17, 2016

Is there any free online courses that I could take to get any CEU's is cosmetic/dermatologic/aesthetic nursing. I have looked at several various online and short term botox programs that are $1500+. I am looking for any free education to educate myself and potentially place on my resume'. Thank you for your help!

Education costs money...depending on what you're looking for, there's no real way around it (especially for specialty things like botox, etc). :geek:

xo

Kile Law · Sep 7, 2016

I co-own (with my plastic surgeon husband) a medical spa. Our nurse injectors are busy with Botox and filler injections virtually all day every day. It wouldn't make sense for them to manage marketing. We don't have quotas, but our long term nurses who have developed a following do share in our profits. In addition to an hourly rate they are bonused based on productivity. If a nurse generates 100k plus each month in Botox and filler revenue, we want to be sure she feels she is compensated well. There is no way a nurse could be expected to generate that kind of revenue, develop relationships with clients and provide education to concierge staff about aesthetic nursing without the ability to focus on injections exclusively. If you are very new and unsure about your passion, try injections, lasers, skin care, etc. Perhaps you could ask for bonuses based on increase in productivity.

jazzyjulz · Sep 18, 2016

Hi WestCoastNP,

Did you do your training on the job or outside in a medical esthetic program geared for nurses? Do you find that your situation is pretty normal financially for NP's working in a medspa?

Thank you!