A recent tribunal has seen the registration of a Sydney cosmetic medicine nurse suspended, Ms Rosalie Piper, was found guilty of professional misconduct and due to her negligent actions has had her registration cancelled for three months and ordered to pay costs.
OVERSTEPPING THE BOUNDS
Ms Piper was an employee at Dr Haertsch’s Epping clinic working one day per week as a nurse injector, primarily using cosmetic injectable medicines supplied by the doctor. The seven medications she administered contained botulinum toxins and hyaluronic acid, used in tissue augmentation. All were restricted substances under Schedule 4 of the Poisons List.
She was apprehended on the grounds of overstepping the bounds by injecting patients with the aforementioned restricted substances such as Botox without adequate supervision. Furthermore, Ms Piper was convicted of supplying and administering the drugs to clients at a day spa in Collaroy.
In acting without the adequate supervision of a medical practitioner and without authorised prescriptions, Ms Piper breached a 2005 protocol governing the use of S4 drugs for cosmetic procedures by nurses.
She was found to have supplied and administered the medications obtained by Dr Haertsch to 29 patients at his practice, and on more than 230 occasions involving 97 patients at the day spa, between mid 2009 and late 2011.
TIPS FOR CONSUMERS CONSIDERING COSMETIC INJECTIONS
This case is a first in the industry and draws serious attention to the need for potential patients considering cosmetic procedures to carefully examine the administrators of these clinics, to clarify authenticity and ensure their safety.
All cosmetic injectables are S4 drugs, this means they can only be supplied by a doctor. Following an appropriate consultation, injections should be performed by a nurse, who is appropriately licensed and trained and under a supervised environment with a qualified doctor available at the clinic.
Know what you are being injected with, assure the provider is correctly administering only FDA approved products purchased within Australia. If they refuse to provide information, don’t hesitate to look for another cosmetic practice.
Insure you fully disclose any and all medical conditions you may have and list any medications that you are taking. This includes vitamins and over-the-counter drugs.
Hair dressing salons, beauty salons and private homes are not medical environments and may be unsanitary, cosmetic injections should only be administered under appropriate settings using sterile instruments.
The cheapest price does not mean the best results or the safest treatment.