Ethical Considerations for the Advanced Practice Aesthetic Nurse.

Abstract

In this article, I discuss ethical considerations for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) working in the field of aesthetics. I explore relevant issues in APRN aesthetic practice in relation to four major ethical principles of nursing (i.e., autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice). I performed a comprehensive literature review of seven electronic bibliographic databases using various inclusion and exclusion criteria as search limiters. Despite the aesthetic specialty's unique challenges, rapid growth, and evidence-based foundation, the search revealed only a limited amount of peer-reviewed literature addressing ethical considerations specific to aesthetic APRNs. Notably, within the limited ethical literature not specific to APRNs, consistent themes emerged related to informed consent, aesthetics as medicine, the economics/marketing of aesthetics, and a need for establishing order. Analysis of these common themes and their relevance to advanced aesthetic nursing scope of practice is essential to defining the role of the aesthetic APRN. Likewise, thematic analysis helps identify gaps in the literature informing APRN aesthetic practice and reveals ethical challenges that may pose undue risk to aesthetic patients.