New Jersey nurse practitioners brace for vote that could shutter aesthetic practices
Melissa Giordano, another aesthetic nurse practitioner in New Jersey, believes full practice authority should apply to all nurse practitioners.
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Monday is an important day for nurse practitioners who opened private practices in the years following COVID-19 — but the impact depends on the type of practice. Medical spas that offer cosmetic services such as Botox and IV therapy remain at risk of closing if they do not comply with newly restored regulations.
“I have lost over $200,000 and I have lost all of my staff,” said Jen Plescia, a board-certified nurse practitioner.
Plescia opened her practice, IVS by the Seas, after struggling during COVID-19. She is among the business owners who may be forced to shut down after Gov. Phil Murphy ended nurse independence before leaving office.
“I was working in the ER. I was one nurse for 43 patients and I called my husband and had a complete meltdown,” she said.
Melissa Giordano, another aesthetic nurse practitioner in New Jersey, believes full practice authority should apply to all nurse practitioners.
“The rules should be all across the board. It shouldn’t be strictly eliminating those who work in a field that is not based on insurance reimbursements,” said Giordano, director of aesthetics and clinical education at The Breslow Center for Plastic Surgery.
Practices offering family care, pediatrics, women’s health services and behavioral health, however, are eligible to keep their independence.
According to Sen. Joe Vitale, one of the bill’s sponsors, “Allowing experienced advanced practice nurses practicing primary and behavioral health care to continue practicing independently will improve access to care, reduce costs, and maintain the high standards of quality and safety that patients expect.”
Advocates in the aesthetic field say their work boosts confidence and mental health.
“I am finding the root cause of your issues, and I am treating you from the inside out. So if you're sad or anxious, did they check your vitamin D levels? Because low vitamin D can cause this,” Plescia said.
The measure is scheduled for another vote on Monday.
