For information only. Not meant as advice in any form. Please consult your medical professional or lawyer.
There’s an increasing trend of medical professionals opening med spas to capitalize on the potential of the market. However, not everyone is eligible or authorized to open a med spa legally. This means that there could be some medical professionals that will have to reevaluate their plans on running a med spa, like licensed practical nurses.
So can a licensed practical nurse (LPN) open a med spa? Generally, no — due to the nature of treatments offered at a med spa and the risk of long-term consequences they have, you need to acquire a certification to be authorized to open a med spa. But note that there are workarounds available to licensed practical nurses who wish to practice aesthetic medicine, like courses, tests, and permits from acknowledged regulatory firms.
Is an LPN Allowed to Open a Med Spa?
Nurses (licensed practitioners and non-physicians alike) generally aren’t allowed to open a med spa in most parts of the world. This is because opening a med spa requires a significant amount of experience in the field of aesthetic medicine. This implies that even while nurses frequently interact directly with patients, they aren’t permitted to establish a med spa.
If they choose to leave their current nursing practice, they’re qualified to work in a med spa given they accomplish all the necessary steps to do so. They already possess the education that the majority of individuals would require to hold that position, and would only need to complete training in order to meet the requirements.
Even if one is given the go-ahead to start med spas by a medical board, a bank may refuse to grant a business loan to a licensed practical nurse who lacks the qualifications or authorization to open one on their own. The time and effort required to open a med spa make it impractical for those looking to do it as a side business.
If you’re a nurse working at the moment, you should consider how much you really want to run your own spa. You won’t be able to do both at once, but if you locate the med spa in a city, you’ll be able to make more money there.
If you can obtain it from someone else, there’s a way around the necessity for a licensed aesthetic practitioner. No matter how much money or expertise you have, a medical license alone is insufficient to start a med spa.
Qualifications Required by an LPN to Open a Med Spa
Even though you can acquire a med spa from someone else and use it for any purpose you want, it’s always recommended to acquire the required qualifications before opening an aesthetic med spa. This is because it’s hard to sustain a business in an industry that largely revolves around clients checking for board-certified professionals who they can trust for their cosmetic procedures.
Depending on where you live in the world, a licensed practical nurse may need to meet specific requirements before being allowed to start a med spa. To perform medical treatments as a nurse, a medical license is a prerequisite. If you aren’t a medical doctor, you might partner with one, but you’ll need to make sure the doctor has full control over all of the clinic’s processes.
You might also need to demonstrate to a medical board that you have a capable team and supervisor who can ensure the smooth execution of procedures without endangering the welfare of the patient. You must also have someone in charge of monitoring the spa when you’re not around.
If you intend to open a med spa as a cosmetic nurse, you must make sure that the head professional is featured in all marketing for the facility. This is due to the fact that it increases your reputation as a trustworthy provider of cosmetic treatment options and guarantees your med spa’s compliance with the law.
Legal Requirements to Open a Med Spa
If you’re eager to start a med spa as an LPN, you should be aware of the legal problems that could damage the standing of your clinic. These consist of things like the med spa’s license, the services it offers on its menu, the facility’s infrastructure, and certificates. The following are a few legal prerequisites for starting a med spa:
- Licensed and Certified Medical Physicians on Board: Med spas that perform procedures such as Botox injections and dermal fillers require licensed medical physicians to be deemed legal. If you do not intend to go to the spa daily, you can think about employing a licensed medical professional to oversee other personnel and perform services.
- Types of Services Offered: The kind of services you’re offering will determine whether you require direct or indirect physician or nurse practitioner monitoring. If you’re a registered nurse, you must have direct (onsite) supervision from a nurse practitioner or a doctor in order to provide laser and Botox injections.
- A doctor’s examination of your patients is required before you may perform cutaneous laser treatments on them. Similarly, you’ll require onsite medical supervision for micropigmentation procedures. Regardless of the services you offer, you should make sure you and your employees are properly trained, have the right policies in place, and value patients’ consent and comfort.
- Medical Tools and Supplies: Apart from the technical competence of the faculty, you’ll also need to ensure your med spa has the medical equipment and infrastructure required to perform the procedures. You may also need to ensure you have HIPAA-compliant electronic systems for maintaining medical records.
- Other Business Requirements: Along with keeping the interests of the patient in mind, you must also make sure that your marketing, logo, insurance policy, and other business necessities support your business objectives. Most med spa business owners may achieve their objectives with careful planning and a solid grasp of the law.
Treatments an LPN Can Administer at a Med Spa
You can still work in aesthetic medicine by becoming an aesthetic practical nurse at a med spa, even if you aren’t allowed to start a med spa. The types of treatments you are able to provide as a licensed practical nurse will be greatly influenced by the training you have had in carrying out various operations. A med spa LPN’s responsibilities include the following:
- Administer surface level and topical treatments
- Prescribe treatments and medicine to patients
- Schedule appointments for clients
- Perform an assessment of the client
- Assist under the supervision of a physician during the procedure
Upskill With Our Aesthetics Training Courses at FACE Med Store
Aesthetic clinics have established themselves in the market, and the ongoing creation of new technologies are even made specifically for them. If you’re taking advantage of this boom, it’s best to upskill by undergoing training courses to perform these novel aesthetic procedures. At FACE Med Store, we offer comprehensive courses in specialized treatments in the field of cosmetic dermatology.
We provide training in dermal filler injections, PRP therapy, IV therapy, mesotherapy, and fractional radiofrequency procedures, as well as a wide range of beauty and medical tools and supplies for your clinic. Call us today to find out more about our programs or to see our stock list of beauty and medical supplies you’ll need for private practice.
