shellek

Hi, I am new to the aesthetic side of nursing after 12 years of critical care. I have been working in a clinic that treats vericose veins and myself and one other nurse are doing the "extra" stuff ---Botox, scerlotherapy, derma fillers, etc....I was looking into getting into this area and paying for my own classes to get certified. My suggestion is to get hired or talk with a med-spa, or aesthetic clinic on your job desires...AND have them pay for your training--this ended up saving me around 10,000 once airfare and hotel expenses were added ontop of the courses. There are several different schooling, I was confused on the "certification" and whether it was required. To answer this question--every state is different. Good luck. Another way is to get hired by a plastic surgeon or out patient surgery for cometics. Build a good solid relationship with the doc or doc's and they will invest in you if you show them your commitment to this feild.:)

Thanks Tanya RN !! I checked out AMEN and am now a member, I am also going back to Vegas for a mesotherapy certification workshop. I am working in a clinic and would like to eventually work like you-as an independant contractor. I have priced becoming cert. in all areas Botox, derma fillers, lasers,etc. it is in the 7-8,000 range !! Is this all necessary and/or do you know of other ways or workshops that are cheaper. That was through aei . . . . When I was hired, the clinic told me they would train me, however I don't just want to be trained I want to be credentialed as a medical aesthetician. Does this even really affect pay for me later??? Since many aestheticians (6 months of training) verses RN-BSN (4 years of schooling) really matter. The clinic will "train" me under their skills I just will not be certified. Am I making too big of a deal about this as they NOW will not pay for courses---hired with my understanding they would, now they are specifying training vs. certification....??? I am just deciding on the investment. Lipodissolve is a done deal..should I continue paying for own cert.'s ? Asking your opinion, Shellek:uhoh3:

BLESS YOU ! May God be with you and your family don't stress, giving into stress makes you weak. I myself am not in the military, however have worked with many military wives and officers..... time is precious and family/friends are irreplaceable ..... enjoy- experience - and DO not waste time on worry! You will be taken care of and all will fall into place. Thank you for your caring ----many though not heard or voiced thank you too.

F Y I, I know you are going through alot, however once in the "real world of nursing" you WILL have resources, pharmacist, and calculated out spread sheats for calc's, not including IV pumps with calc's on them also! You can also carry around a "cheat sheet" for your confidence. This is school so you understand the base behind the answers!! ONLY short term. I don't know if I myself could do certain calc's however I DO know how to go about finding the answers and double checking them, I even @ times double check with other co-working R.N.'s !!!!! YOU CAN DO IT !!!!

I myself do tatoo removal however love tats and question if this could be grounds for descrimination? I understand professionalism yet, also believe a person with a unsightly scar or disfigurement would necessarily interfer with employment due to our USA descrimination laws?? maybe something to check into. I do understand the jewelry thing as it may hang upon or become a way for a patient to snag you--this is for your safety. Tat's offer no harm into pt's skin or our safety. Good Luck!!

I have been a travel R.N. the past 5 years and have found the hospitals that offer their own training with extra pay for their already staffed RN's to assist training-via accrediated schools to students for a 2-4 year contract payback scholarship program...seems to work very WELL,,,, almost like vocational trained nurses, only the program is affiliated with accredited school/hospital corp. This insures the hospital always knows future staff expectancy and they (the nurses) are trained from the begining the "hospital's way" As we all know there are several ways of caring out patient care, but take a fresh new nurse and train her "your way" she is more likely to be compliant and less likely to try to change/improve things, because that is all she/he knows.

Bless your heart!! I do feel your pain and concern. I my self love PACU, it can be intense at times yet you are in an open room full of staff never without some-one if not everyone knowing your pt. You do not have to deal with the same pt's daily, unfortunately through the months or years if they are having I&d's of wounds or amputations. Family is not in there usually and even though it is critical care it is 1:2 pushing 3 in some states or times during change of shift per nurse. And like I said you are never left alone, PACU nurses work as a team in all the hospitals I have worked in. Pre-op if available in your hospital is GREAT too!!! Minor out-pt. or cardiac cath lab, endo lab, etc.. are GREAT also (usually a supportive available staff around @ all times) I have found when I get nervous just having somebody to ask relieves me and I am usually right-just needed extra re-assurance.....Check into those areas they are very rewarding and supportive!! GOOD LUCK!!!

LET ME JUST LET US ALL RECOGNIZE "CO-DEPENDENCY" I AGREE!! NOT ONLY THAT BUT NURSES TEND TO BE or BECOME THE SOLE PROVIDERS AND HAVE MANY PERSONAL REALATIONSHIP ISSUES...caring tooooo much can often be recognized as weakness in predators! However, I have to recognize it as a God Given Blessing in my Spirit that allows me to be so giving,,,,,not just anyone can do what we do! BE PROUD IN YOURSELF!

I really can't say, I was a teen pregnant mother looking for a career in which I would NEVER have to depend on a man and wouldn't take years out of my life to obtain. This option opened up opportunities of what I though then was good $, ability to change avenues, and ability to move and ALWAYS have a job.....My mother laughs @ me telling me about all the times when I was young bringing home dead or hurt animals to bury or help them -- I always grossed out on the idea of dealing with crap or vomit---SHE was right, I indeed did become a nurse.

I understand where you are coming from, unfortunately over the years I have learned even though your parents may not have drank or drugged infront of you the characteristic traits of dysfunction can and often is past on. This was my confusion for many years as I was raised very religiously without alcohol or abuse, however learning more of dysfunction vs. functional relationships doesn't have to include "actively" abusing.

I graduated in 1995 (21yrs/old)ASN then 1999 BSN (25yrs/old)......took a break from june 2004 to now may 2007(doing own massage biz) But am happily re-entering nursing....it was a self made promise to myself during nursing training----" I would not become an overweight, unhealthy, unhappy R.N.":nono: ---so I took a 3 year step away and am glad I did!!!!! never letting nursing license lapse and stayed somewhat in a caring field, I expanded my knowledge and now @ 33y/o back @ nursing !! and happy about it !!!!

I have been a traveling nurse and been offered many times positions in AZ. I told them it would take a bit to obtain my license, they wanted me asap. they told me I didn't even need a AZ license?? confused me..although I am licensed in NV I thought you have to be licensed in each state you worked in. Also, a friend of mine just grad. from RN school in pheonix and now is being told she can and then can not obtain licensure in other states?? what is the truth...does it depend on the school or should she take another state board exam in a wide open state while info is fresh in her mind so that she won't have to take state boards years in the future if she choices to move....?????

If I am truely sleep deprived it is like driving drunk, not only are you compromising patient care but you may be risking getting to and home from work. I worked in PACU were we had to take call many nights and turn around and report for our scheduled shift, there where many times I did make it through the day but getting home was difficult. Family and my well being comes first -- we eventually went to our supervisors and yes call was not eliminated but if we were called out the night before we were the first to go home as soon as possible even if it ment calling in a PRN staff to replace us. Studies have shown driving under the influence and sleep deprivation is the same, so I don't know why this can't be applied to our work atmosphere, we would get fired for showing up to work impaired so sleep deprived should not be different---truely sleep deprived not just I'm tired or want a day off.

I am currently working in city, state that has many specialized hospitals. To me it is some what unfair because the get all the insured paying realitivly healthy pt's where the uninsure really unstable sick patient are shipped over to county hosptials. however, the specialized hospitals are set up as private, all most hotel like rooms. It is amazing to me coming from east and west coast county hospitals. The even have menues the patients call on their own and order their food when they are hungery. Hospital stays are more expensive then vacations but they have done a good job in making their illness like a vaction atmosphere..?? Dr's and their entruprenuation I guess, I just wonder in the long term how the county hospitals will survive?

All JACHO hospitals I have worked in say NO! I myself am a nail bitter and acrylics keep my cuticles and nails without sores, I don't see a difference in natural and fake nails as long as they are kept clean underneath and all around. I even have worked were NO polish can be worn! Due to possible flaking off of the polish contaminating care.?? well eyelashes can fall out, hair can fall out, breathing out, etc. can all be considered contamination. By the way I do not work in a burn unit or a unit were exeptional exposure to open wounds.

I disagree, even though I was not going to get paid more for having a BSN I continued and got it , yea depending on what state you live in you may get paid more for it, I never and do not want to be in management, but on my 'burn out' hiatist I did start my own massage company using knowledge from my BSN, now I am working at a hospital in a state that doesn't pay for having a BSN and I negotiated a 2% increase in hourly. I was chosen over other applicants when I was a traveling nurse and now in the future if I should choose to go back to school and get MSN it will be that much closer ---so look @ the long run -- you will be put on the top of a pile of applicants and you never know what or where you may want your nursing career to take you. GOOOO 4 IT!!!! Not only will you have that extra creditialing, you can pride yourself on futhuring your education. BSN is not just for management !!!

addiction is a disease tolerance is not there is a difference addiction is when it affect your life, family, or performing daily activities tolerance is -well is just a level of needing more for the desired affect, which should not give a feeling of euphoria or interupt in daily living,or relationships

I do think depending on the area of nursing and the hours can definately be unhealthy. I myself made a promise to step out of nursing when I became "burnt out" which was 9years of PACU and ICU and OPEN HEART Recovery. The hours were never what they were suppose to be--I'd get stuck there more often then not, the death and morbidity took a tole on me.. I left for 3 years and started own massage business, working own hours, and with healthy people. I do miss nursing in clinical setting now and am going back, I don't want to loose clinical skills. I am glad I took break and still in a sense was in medical area of massage. I enjoy helping others, but now going back I am not going to push for all the hours I can get, the over-time, and will work day shift, nights 12 hr shifts through me into deep depression and gained 20 lbs within the 1st 3 months of night shifts. I was all about make the most money I can, but now with gained confidence I can have my own business p/t and be a nurse day shift will be much better for me --yes it may pay a little less but therapy and anti-depressants replaced that extra money from nights. Sanity is where I want to stay.

I never have been in any nursing association but am now thinking about it. To me it was just spending extra money to put on a resume that I belonged to an association. But now with my background I wonder if it would creditial me higher? I don't know some of the nurses I have worked with with all the extra letters after their name and associations they belonged to were very scary to work with --like book smart but hands on ???don't know where their brain went. Hating to sound cheap what do they realy offer other then newsletters which can be found @ work or on the net.??

While I was obtaining my BSN my nursing supervisor was too busy to attend incident reports reveiw hospital wide, she asked me to fill in for her. I was the only staff RN in the committee, we only reviewed nursing I.R.'s Dr.'s and pharmacist had their own committees. I was very blessed to had been able to be apart of this especially since I was the only actual hands on RN in the committee and not just a superviser pushing papers and attending meetings. Mostly over time you would recognize names cautiousing us on their skills and amazing enough most reports were on insulin and heparin delivery. Reveiwing charts definately taught and reinforced my skills in charting and I am still having a problem with this "charting by exception" I was trained if its not charted it wasn't done, then after graduating this concept of exception charting came about. So I do tend to over chart but in the long run I am responsible for my actions so I stand firm but do cooperate with the institutions policies. As far as where they go they are locked away within the institution unless it is considered a level 3-4 which is referred onto the state board of nursing. 4 is diversion of meds(such as nurses stealing, meds or items) 3 has to realy affect patient outcomes as could be detrimental to their life. Lawyer are to have no access to the incident reports-unless you chart a incident report was filed-so do not chart that! It is only a back up safety paper trail for the hospital and does identify nurses that may need education updates or possible other actions.

We all must remember WE are human. We have to care for ourself as we do others, honest is a personal value each individual is accounted for. My believe is "what comes around goes around" and eventually this will catch up to that person. It is our responsibility--as a patient advocate to protect our patients..there should be an anonomous ethical committee or such in place in your work setting, If this is realy bothering you and pt.'s are at stake it is our responsibility to address the issue, whether directly or via supervisor explaining to not disclose your identity to protect yourself understanding you don't want to be "tatle tale"...and have to work with that person. We must remember our profession is admired however we all are human and addiction for example is very high just as abuse for law inforcement, alcoholism for bartenders etc...You have to answer to yourself listen to your gut feeling, one little "lie" may accually many more compromising pt. care in the future. This CAN be addressed without anyone knowing you reported what you saw.

I to have many ?s regarding med aesthetics by RNs state to state..A.M.E.N. has some information regarding legislation and certification...maybe this will help you out. (association of medical esthetic nurses) check out their web site

I have checked their program out, is it worth the money as compared to much cheaper programs out there. I am confused on being certified--one of the programs I checked into gave you certification with only taking one of the 8 classes??? Currently I am working and being trained under a Dr. but want to be recognized throughout USA since I do take travel assignments. Is there any real guidelines for RN's in aesthetics? It appears many RNs are practicing via different training avenues.

I am going to be doing sclerotherapy, assisting with mico-phlebectomy, EVLT, and soon laser hair/tatoo removal, chemical peels, botox, derma fillers, etc. for a private clinic inside a medical hospital/clinic. I have been training but I personally want to be a certified nurse aesthetic specialist. I have been researching seminars and different affiliations. Would you by chance know were and if I should invest in becoming certified if I can practice being trained under a physician? There are several different organizations and if I am going to invest $$$ I want to be recognized throughout the country since I do take travel assignments frequently. I would really Appreciate any well informed responses!! thanks, shellek by the way I am currently in KS but often take assignment LasVegas & FL.

SOOOOO SORRY you are going through such a tough time. Being a nurse we tend to not take care of ourselves and others come first, with your psych background maybe you should consider seeing a therapist or psych Dr. for discussion and possibly rx for depression. I know myself, I went years denying needing therapy but now I feel the best I have ever felt...yes I am on anti-depressant and see a therapist 1-2 monthly, but I have come to terms that we all ESPECIALLY nurses need that extra boost of help, we get sick we are human. LIFE IS TOO SHORT make the best of it you can, I am sure you take good care of others ...TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF:balloons: