From Bedside Nurse To Botox House Calls, Rachel's Journey to Aesthetic Nursing

Image credit: Persimmon

It’s no secret that the nursing industry is in need of a change. From nurses who are opening their own IV hydration businesses to creating apps to pick up shifts on their own schedule, nurses are using their degrees to create work and lives that work for them. 

Rachel Yussim, RN, BSN, is one such nurse: she’s a Certified Concierge Medical Aesthetics with Persimmon in Sonoma County. Persimmon is a new company that offers at-home Botox injections and other aesthetic treatments in the Bay Area. Companies like Persimmon offer nurses the opportunity to utilize their skills in a way that works for them—and Yussim is sharing how becoming a cosmetic and aesthetic nurse has given her the best of both worlds as a nurse. 

Why Nursing?

Yussim tells Nurse.org that she chose to become a nurse for a few different reasons: 

• She knew she wanted a job that would allow her to constantly grow and learn 
• She appreciated the autonomy that would allow her to travel and spend time with her daughters
• It was really important to her to do work that would have an impact and make a positive difference

“No matter how good or bad my day was, I knew that I helped someone or their family,” she explains. 

Yussim was able to find those components in her work as both an ER and PACU nurse for 14 years, but eventually, she was ready to work with a different group of clients—so she turned to aesthetics nursing. She received her certification through Allergan, the company that manufactures Botox, along with several one-on-one mentor days with different Bay Area lead injectors. 

“I love learning about anatomy and new ways to enhance a client's appearance,” she says. “In aesthetics, we don’t change a person’s face but rather bring back some of that youth and let what they already have shine through.”

As a Certified Botox Administrator, Yussim now works for Persimmon, where she visits clients’ homes to administer Botox, among other at-home treatments. She’s also involved in educating new providers with Persimmon in anatomy and technique. Persimmon allows both clients and nurses to access the world of aesthetics in a different way, on their own time and schedules, and without the need for expensive salons, spas, or office visits—and while managing their other responsibilities, like remote work or children at home. 

According to Yussim, there are many advantages of at-home-based nursing care, including cosmetic care. “It’s in the client's own space, so there is definitely an added level of comfort,” she explains. “They can have their friends with them joining in on a treatment or just there for moral support. They can get treated conveniently while their children are napping or during a midday break from work. I set up and take down everything myself, so it’s as stress-free as possible.”

>> Related: How to Become an Aesthetic Nurse

The Future of Nursing Care

Yussim believes that her work with Persimmon represents what will only become a growing trend for home-based care for patients and nurses. “Of course, there will always be a need for hospital nursing but I do believe for less invasive procedures and diagnostics, in-home will become more commonplace,” she notes. 

And she may be right—from companies like Amazon working to bring healthcare to home to a growing older population who will undoubtedly need extensive in-home care to telehealth expansions, home-based care may just be here to stay. 

Plus, Yussim points out that gig work and home-based care opportunities have plenty of benefits for nurses as well. For instance, she is able to work as much or as little as she wants, which she finds very helpful at the age of life she is now, with young kids at home. For instance, she schedules her work so she can be home when her kids need her, and when her husband is home, so they can all spend time together. 

“Their schedules are more rigid, but I can tweak mine so that I can spend a lot of time with them,” she explains. “The most important thing to me is being with my kids, especially while they are young—I can set my schedule to ensure that that remains a priority.”

Of course, there are some practicalities to consider when working “freelance” or part-time nursing jobs, such as Yussim is doing. For instance, her husband carries the family’s health insurance and she notes that there is less consistency with her income, although the opportunity for additional income is always there if you want to take on more work. 

>>Related: How to Become an Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner

Nursing Care, No Matter Where

For Yussim, however, the evolution of her own nursing career from PACU and ER to administering Botox in the comfort of clients’ homes simply mirrors that of healthcare itself. 

“Medicine is constantly evolving and improving and that's no different for cosmetic medicine,” she says. “There will always be a new and better technique and I love learning. I also love hearing from my clients about how I contributed to brighter mornings when they look in the mirror and feel more refreshed. It’s extremely satisfying to be involved in helping someone uncover something that’s been hidden.”

Plus, she points out that the tenets of good nursing care—from critical thinking to compassion to practical skills—remain the same, no matter where you’re delivering that care. 

“Everyone has different needs and expectations, whether they're anxious after waking up from a surgery or getting Botox for the first time,” she notes. “It's my job to know what I'm doing, but also to make sure that my patient or client is comfortable and confident under my care. Critical thinking is also important. Not every situation can be tackled with the same steps each time. Knowing your abilities and being able to appropriately make adjustments is vital in any medical career.”

For nurses who are looking to follow in her footsteps, Yussim encourages a good work ethic and getting the proper certifications, along with being proactive in your career. The world of cosmetic and aesthetic nursing can be a competitive one, so it’s important to build your skills and have a clear path for your goals. 

“Don't expect someone is going to teach you everything along the way,” she warns. “Come prepared every day, get certified and study hard. It’s a competitive industry and your success is often tied to how well you hustle.”

In the end, however, finding a way to own her schedule as a nurse and step into home-based cosmetic nursing care has given Yussim the work-life balance that so many nurses—especially those with other responsibilities like family care—need right now. 

“I am so grateful for the opportunity Persimmon has provided for me to expand my nursing scope and embark on a career path I've been wanting to pursue for a while,” she says.