I am a Part-time Visiting Nurse/Part-time Aesthetic Nurse Specialist. I travel to people's homes and provide doctor-ordered skilled nursing care. My patients' ages range from about 16 to 102 years-old. As an aesthetic nurse, I work for a private plastic surgeon and provide Botox injections, fillers and permanent make-up.

EDUCATION | I have a B.S. degree in nursing from the University of San Francisco and I am a certified public health nurse.

HOW TO GET STARTED | Love what you do and do what you love. Not sure if nursing is for you? Volunteer at a hospital and observe a skillful staff. Nursing skills are the same whether I'm giving a patient an injection or caring for them with a life-threatening illness. Always be willing to get your hands dirty. Attend a accreditated nursing school. There are two and four year programs, but a four-year is more desirable. With a four-year degree you will be more marketable as you will be trained in more types of nursing. You will also have to put in a specific amount of clinical hours in order to qualify for your license.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Empathy for your patients is so important. Be merciful, a good listener, compassionate and patient. You will need to have good assessment skills and be somewhat of a detective to discern the patient's problems.

how I got started | When I was three years-old I went to the hospital to get my tonsils taken out. Sometime after my surgery a nurse picked me up out of my crib and carried me to the nurses' station. She handed me a cold glass of apple juice. It felt so good sliding down my throat and I felt so comforted. This made a lasting impression on me and by the ripe old age of five, I decided that I wanted to become a nurse! I never strayed from this goal. It became, and continues to be, my calling in life. I took all the required science and math classes in high school and during my senior year I applied for nursing school. I started my training at age 18.

why this job?| Like I said, it's my calling. I think most nurses realize that nursing is not just a job - there's much more to it. I'm empathetic by nature so this career is such a fit. Caring for others is my passion.

why I love this job!| I love to help people and solve problems. Coming alongside others and feeling as if I'm making a difference is a thrill. I love everyone I work with. The staff raises the bar for me. And I'm a lover of learning. If I don't know the answer to your problem, I'll find it!

my typical day| As a visiting nurse, I'm on call, so my schedule can change in a heartbeat, but typically I'm out the door around 8:30 a.m. I gather my patients' information, find out who needs lab work, etc. and then I jump in my car and set off to see patients. I generally see five patients a day, all with a variety of diseases and travel to a variety of places, including the affluent areas to low income housing .As I treat patients I also work to educate them on how to care for their own needs. I spend some time filling out charts and clock out around 5:00 p.m. On days when I work as an aesthetic nurse, I see three to six patients a day for various facial treatments. This work is done in the plastic surgeon's office.

what they are | Having time and giving my patients enough confidence to help them move forward with their health issues. Nursing is also physically exhausting and it is a challenge to balance work and family.

all about growth | There are so many different types of nursing you can pursue! And you can work until you are 100! It is predicted that in the year 2014, we will peak with the shortage of nurses. You can always go on and earn your Masters or Doctrate degree and even more doors will open for you.

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