If your dream is to work at a cosmetic clinic and perform complex surgeries, you need to become a certified aesthetic nurse. It’s an enriching career with high growth potential, not only in finance but also socially. You’ll be helping people feel their best and become more confident.
Before you get started, you must undergo aesthetic nurse training. In this article, you’ll learn five steps to becoming an aesthetic cosmetic nurse.
Find the Best Nursing Programs:
To get started, you need to enroll in a nursing program to get certified. These programs must be accredited and recognized. At the bare minimum, you need to get your RN or Registered Nurse degree.
For this, you can either take up the Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The former is for 2 years while the Bachelor’s degree is for four years.
There’s a Diploma in Practical Nursing (PN) option. But more often than not, it’s insufficient.
All of these are full-time courses. There’s time investment involved. So be prepared for it.
Pass the NCLEX-RN:
Besides earning your Associate or Bachelor’s degree, you’d also have to pass the NCLEX-RN to start working as an aesthetic nurse. It stands for the National Council Licensure Examination, and its purpose is to certify entry-level nurses.
Take note that this examination will be different from the tests you took at nursing school. So you need to prepare for the same. There will be four major categories and twice that number of subcategories. Most of these will be around the topic of “Meeting Clients Needs.” Basic care and comfort, management of care, infection control are some of the topics.
Once you pass the test, you can start practicing in your state.
Gain Experience by Working:
After clearing the NCLEX-RN examination, you’d have to gain practical experience working at a clinic. You can take up an entry-level job at a cosmetic clinic and assist an experienced nurse or dermatologist. Gradually, you’ll pick up all the skills necessary to perform cosmetic procedures on your own.
How much time you should spend at the clinic depends on how much time you need to learn. Most novice nurses train for two years under the supervision of an expert to pick up all the skills.
The more experience you gain, the better you can charge for your next role.
Advance your Knowledge and Education:
To get better at what you do, you can advance your education. Most cosmetic nurses, while working, take up additional courses. For example, MSN or Master’s in Nursing is a great way to skill up yourself. You’ll learn specialized information that isn’t taught in the Bachelor’s degree. You can specialize in Family Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Leadership.
There’s also a Post-master’s Nurse Certificates Program or NCP. It’ll deliver even more specialized knowledge and experience.
The more you learn, the higher you’ll be in demand.
Get Certified:
For cosmetic nurses specifically, you can earn a Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist Credential. The Facial Aesthetic hands-on Training Course is another course you should aim for.
Both of these impart practical knowledge and help you become a better cosmetic nurse.
You should check the affiliation and accreditation of the institute offering these programs. If they aren’t recognized, it’s best to avoid them.
So the timeline for becoming a qualified Aesthetic nurse is the following:
- Complete a nursing program – 2 to 4 years
- Pass the NCLEX-RN examination – 6 months to 1 year
- Gain experience by working for 2-3 years
- Advance your career by earning a Masters or certification – 1-2 years
So that’s 5-6 years of investment to become an aesthetic nurse. This may vary depending on the state you’re residing in.
How Much do Aesthetic Nurses Make?
Aesthetic nursing is a lucrative career option. You’ll be working in highly complex and specialized procedures like botox, dermal filling, laser treatment, and non-invasive surgery. After you’re a qualified professional, you’ll be working with 5-10 patients a day. On top of that, you’d have follow-up meetings with older patients.
So how much does all of this generate for you? The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates the annual salary to be around $71,730. In hourly terms, it’s about $35-45 per hour.
It depends on the clinic and the state you’re working in. Some nurses make even more.
Some nurses take the entrepreneurship path and open their clinics. In such cases, the earning potential is limitless.
So if you’re considering working as an aesthetic nurse in the future, it’s undoubtedly an excellent decision to make. Undergo aesthetic nurse training to get started.
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