The COVID-19 global pandemic left many nurses burnt-out: feeling overworked, drained of energy, and perhaps even feelings of lackluster passion for their careers.1 Nursing burnout because of the pandemic is a real thing.2 If you are a nurse experiencing these types of thoughts and feelings, know that you are not alone. You may be looking for a career move along with many other nurses. The good news is that your career in nursing does not end here. The exciting field of medical esthetics and esthetic nursing is not only growing, but it may also be your answer.3 Learn more about why medical esthetics could be your next career move!
How COVID-19 Created the Nursing Burnout
COVID-19 affected global healthcare systems and placed immense pressure on healthcare professionals, especially nurses. To study the effects of COVID-19 on burnt-out nurses, a study surveying over 2,500 nurses took place in February 2022.4 This study discovered that more than a third of nurses say it is very likely that they will leave their jobs by the end of 2022. And almost half of those nurses said they would go due to burnout and high-stress environments!4 However, many burnt-out nurses are not looking to leave the field altogether. They plan to look for less stressful nursing roles that reinvigorate their passions, and many of them may find the field of medical esthetics.
What is Esthetic Nursing?
Medical esthetics includes a wide range of non-invasive, non-surgical procedures typically aimed at improving appearance. Naturally, this field has grown in popularity for years and is here to stay. Even though the market for these services used to be primarily women, more and more men are receiving esthetic care. Esthetic Nurses earn certifications in the necessary therapies to perform services like laser & IPL therapy, microneedling, bodysculpting, injections, etc. There are many applications for esthetic medicine, so nurses practicing esthetics can work in less-stress environments. These nurses commonly work in dermatology, plastic surgeon offices, and medspas. According to ZipRecruiter, the median salary for an esthetic nurse in New York is $101,121/year5, much higher than the average overall salary of $83,553/year6 for Registered Nurses.
If you are excited now – it gets better. Only strengthened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical esthetics industry has been and continues to experience growth. The market of people seeking esthetic treatments is growing, and the technology available to perform these treatments is enhancing. Learn more about how COVID-19 has changed and boosted the field of medical esthetics.
The Answer For Burnout Nurses
There are many reasons a career in esthetic nursing may be the answer to a nurse’s burnout. Esthetic nurses typically work very regular hours with no night shifts. These nurses are in a position to help people and provide outstanding care to patients without the stress and anxiety of an emergency care setting. And this form of nursing enables long-term relationships with patients who return periodically for maintenance care. Esthetic nurses usually work with patients who are seeking appearance-improving care. This work can inspire your passion if you love helping people look and feel their best.
“The minute you decide to do what you love to do, you have made a life plan for yourself and a career choice.”
– Huda Kattan, Cosmetic Business Owner, celebrity
Though esthetic nursing does not involve the stress of running around the floors of a trauma unit, it is an exciting job with plenty of growth potential. New technologies and therapies are continually developing, and an innovative nurse can keep clinic treatments fresh and new by staying up to date on the latest esthetic trends.
How to Become an Esthetic Nurse
As a registered nurse, you may be wondering how you can become an esthetic nurse. We have good news. You are already halfway there! As an RN, you are qualified to earn the certifications you need to be a competitive job applicant and potentially increase your starting salary.7
If you are ready for this career move, it is time to start your new career by obtaining certifications and training through any of the following programs:
- Laser & IPL Therapy
- Candela Medical Microneedling + LED
- CuraMedix Acoustic Wave Therapy
- Emsculpt Body Sculpting
- NuEra Tight RF by Lumenis
- PRP Face & Hair Injecting
- RF/Microneedling Combination Therapy
- Sofwave Ultrasound Non-Surgical “Facelift”
Not sure where to start? We are here for you. Request information today and find out which workshop is right for you.
- https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases [↩]
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7751034/ [↩]
- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/medical-aesthetics-market#:~:text=The%20global%20aesthetic%20medicine%20market,aesthetic%20treatments%20in%20recent%20years [↩]
- https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/providers/third-nurses-plan-leave-their-jobs-2022-survey-finds [↩] [↩]
- https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Aesthetic-Nurse-Salary-in-New-York-City,NY [↩]
- https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/registered-nurse-Salary-in-New-York-City,NY [↩]
- https://nurse.org/resources/how-to-become-aesthetic-cosmetic-nurse/ [↩]