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Open to Learning New Skills → Comfortable With Receiving Feedback
Ever heard the expression “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” It’s not true, unless of course, it is. Sometimes injectors are hard to approach and unwilling to implement new techniques. Ego preservation is more important to them than evolving and improving. This is a character flaw, and not one that you should have to walk on eggshells around. Make it known in the interview that your practice values the latest research, continuing education, and adjusting technique as necessary. A strong candidate will convey enthusiasm and agree.
A great interview question is, “Tell me about a time when you changed your injection technique for the better?”
If they are injecting the exact same way they were trained, they either lack experience or lack the willingness to learn new tips.
Willing To Do Jobs that Aren’t “RN Duties” → Teamplayer
Working at a medical spa is fundamentally different than a large hospital for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps the most obvious is the delegation of duties. Registered Nurses in the hospital have a team surrounding them who are available to help with the completion of tasks. There are Patient Care Technicians, Medical Assistants, and Hospital Volunteers who can receive delegated tasks that the RN doesn’t have time (or desire) to complete. In a smaller work environment with fewer employees, being a team player is an essential component to meshing well with the rest of your staff. The nurse injector will likely clean and turnover rooms, keep track of inventory, communicate with pharmaceutical reps, and even schedule or answer phones if the office is busy and she’s available. During the interview, consider it a red flag if a nurse comments on “RN duties” or “I didn’t go to nursing school to make beds,” etc.
One potential interview question here would be, “Can you give me an example of a time in your previous job when you did some non-nursing duties that helped your team?”
Warm Personality → Excellent Bedside Manner
With strict insurance plans and Medicare/Medicaid, we all know that many times we see a doctor because he or she is on the covered plan, but with elective cosmetic procedures, the patients are all cash-pay, and the competition is steep. The medical spa market is quickly becoming saturated. More than ever, a warm personality and impeccable bedside manner are crucial skills for all your employees, from the front desk staff members to the practice manager. Every patient should feel like a VIP. You can easily tell during an interview if a candidate has a warm personality. Do they make eye contact with you? Do they smile and/or keep the conversation light and laced with humor? Prior to the interview, you can ask the candidate to bring in something tangible that they are proud of from past jobs. I know I’ve kept stellar reviews and personal thank you notes from patients. As a nurse injector, I would love the opportunity to show these off to a potential new boss. Good bedside manner translates over from every department in the hospital. Don’t underestimate the importance of a friendly, warm, down-to-earth personality, which can keep the self-pay patients loyal to your practice.
Knowledge → Experience
Everybody has to start somewhere, and every experienced nurse started off as a beginner. That said, experienced nurses who are willing to bend and change to fit the mold of your office culture require less of a learning curve. Neurotoxin injections require a thorough understanding of the facial anatomy, specifically the muscles to know how to problem solve for the inevitable complications of Botox injections. For example, if a patient presents to the office 2 weeks post glabellar injections with “Spock brows,” the injector needs to know that 2 forehead injections to lower the peaked brows will immediately solve the problem. They also need an extensive understanding of the vasculature, especially with filler injections, to avoid the most serious of complications. Complications are inevitable, and the busier you are as a practice, the more challenges you will face. This is when experienced nurse injectors who know how to handle complications becomes a huge asset.
To assess a potential nurse’s experience and knowledge, ask specific questions such as, “After a standard forehead Botox treatment, if a patient has peaked brows, how would you handle it?” or, “If you’re injecting filler in the nasolabial folds and notice blanching and the patient complains of pain, how would you proceed?”
And finally, when you have found an ideal nurse injector who enjoys continuing her education and perfecting her technique, who is willing to take out the trash, who your patients adore because of her kind demeanor, and who has an expansive knowledge and experience, don’t let her go! Good nurses with all of these traits are out there, but they are hard to find, and they are worth the investment, bonuses, and raises. Treat your staff well, and make sure they always feel happy to be at work. When they love coming to work, it is obvious to your patients, and that ultimately means more happy and loyal patients returning to your practice.
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Lindsay Van Meter
Lindsay Van Meter, RN, BSN, CNOR, CANS
