A few months ago, I was attending a function in NJ where some physicians were in attendance. Through the course of discussion, some of us became involved in a discussion about NJ State law which prohibits nurses from injecting Botox or dermal fillers. While many of us sat there with our jaws dropped in disbelief of what we were witnessing, a plastic surgeon went into a soliloquy about why nurses shouldn’t be injectors.

There he stood on his soap box declaring his supremacy over all that was injectable as highly experienced nurses began interjecting some factoids about how nurses are specialized in IV therapies, take more time to attend training courses, and overall exhibit better patient care. It went on and on with no outcome other than shattered egos.

The truth is, many States permit nurses and PAs to inject Botox and dermal fillers as well. While many physicians may hold true to their stance that a skilled board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon should be doing the injections, what truly matters is the skill, experience and knowledge of the injector. My point is, there are as many physicians out there who should not be doing injectables as there are nurses.

While Botox has had as many horror stories as, say, laser hair removal or lipodissolve, the truth is (if you care to do some research) that the majority of the issues with Botox were due to the fact that they were administered by either non-licensed or untrained personnel such as estheticians. In regards to nurse injectors, many of the State laws declare they can perform the injections under the direct supervision of a physician who has performed the initial examination of the patient and has written orders for it.

The initials after a person’s name should not be the deciding factor when clients choose a practitioner to inject their Botox or fillers. What is important is excellent knowledge of facial muscle anatomy, training, certification, education in the latest techniques, and hands-on experience.

Author: Paula D. Young RN runs internal operations and training at Young Medical Spa and is the author of the Medical Spa Aesthetics Course, Study Guide, and Advanced IPL & Laser Training course for medical estheticians and laser technicians.

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