Camas, WA
With nearly 190,000 nurse practitioners in the United States, it’s likely that you’ve had an appointment with one for anything from a yearly checkup to a trip to the emergency room. However, patients are often confused about the role of a nurse practitioner as they don’t understand the qualifications necessary to become a nurse practitioner and the kind of care they are authorized to provide. In fact, some patients will insist upon seeing a physician, not knowing that the nurse practitioner is fully educated, licensed, certified and highly qualified to manage their care.
While it is every patient’s right to choose the type of provider that will manage their care, patient education is vital. This includes understanding the role that a nurse practitioner has in a medical practice and their qualifications. This article will serve as an educational primer on what it takes to be a nurse practitioner in the United States and why relying on one for your medical needs and aesthetic care is a good choice for your health.
Simply put, a nurse practitioner:
At Skin by Lovely, our staff includes family nurse practitioners (FNPs) and gerontology nurse practitioners (GNPs) who receive additional training and experience in the aesthetic space to provide patients with injectable anti-aging treatments like Botox and dermal fillers.
A nurse practitioner often serves as a primary care provider for patients in family practice, general practice, and pediatric clinics and are qualified to provide the same care as physicians. Nurse practitioners work with their patients to:
A nurse practitioner may work independently or as part of a team of providers that give patients exceptional care. They collaborate with physicians, surgeons, registered nurses, and other medical staff to ensure that patients are properly evaluated, diagnosed, treated, and followed-up with. This does not mean, however, that physicians and surgeons directly supervise nurse practitioners. When doctors and nurse practitioners are on the same team, each brings their own medical expertise and knowledge to provide patients with more extensive care when necessary.
Not only are nurse practitioners fully trained and licensed to provide medical care, including aesthetic injections and skin care, but research has shown that nurse practitioners give patients safe, quality care in all specialties and add tremendous value to any medical practice, including medical aesthetic practices.
Skin by Lovely offers a team-based approach to care for our patients. This team consists of NPs, PAs, RNs, and CANS (Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialists), with physicians on our board of directors. This team approach, combined with our focus on injectable anti-aging treatments, ensures that our patients receive the very best results from Botox and dermal fillers. Additionally, many of our providers dedicate their time to educating other aesthetic providers on proper injection techniques. Our practice is also an Allergan Black Diamond provider, a designation given to an elite 1% of aesthetic practices for their dedication to quality care and excellence; it also represents the high number of injectable treatments we provide every year, far more than most other aesthetic clinics.
Whether you choose to see a nurse practitioner, physician assistant or registered nurse, all of our providers are experienced Aesthetic Injection Specialists with advanced training and experience with wrinkle relaxers like Botox and Dysport, facial fillers like Juvederm and Restylane, and skin care treatments. Our co-founder and Clinical Director Lovely C. Laban GNP-C MSN (Certified Gerontology Nurse Practitioner with a Masters of Science in Nursing) has dedicated her career to gerontology, the study of aging, and has used that expertise and knowledge to provide the best results in facial rejuvenation and anti-aging with FDA approved non-surgical treatments. In addition to providing superior results to our patients and training other providers, including physicians, in proper injection techniques, Lovely has also been invited to weigh in as an expert by the media and lecture on skin and health topics by local nursing and health and fitness groups.
Whether you see Lovely or one of our other experienced and talented Aesthetic Injection Specialists, you can be sure you’re receiving the best care at Skin by Lovely in Santa Monica, Lake Oswego, or Portland, OR. Schedule a consultation today and start your path to facial rejuvenation today.
