Getting into Aesthetic Nursing is usually surrounded by a desire to start a business, change one's life and win the long-dreamed-of professional autonomy. After all, as a nurse, there are not many career options that let you have your own business.
Another common drive among professionals who choose nursing is the pleasure of caring for other people and giving them well-being. Dr. Camille Benatti Mendes chose her degree for this reason.
“I went into it out of a desire to care for others. People asked me, ‘why not medicine?’ I see that medicine has a different outlook, it's more about diagnosis. And my intention was to care for people and be closer to them,” says Dr. Camille.
The aesthetic nurse graduated in Porto Alegre-RS and soon afterward moved to São Paulo. In the state capital she took a public-service exam and got her first job in the field. Learn a little about Dr. Camille's path in this Success Story and see how she came to Aesthetic Nursing.
Aesthetic Nursing: the coincidence within acupuncture
After passing the public-service exam, Dr. Camille spent 10 years providing care in birthing centers. “I fell in love with maternity care and I stayed there that whole time,” she says.
Today, the aesthetic nurse still works for the State of SP, but now in a different department: health surveillance. It is very different from what she used to do, but her workload there is lighter, at 30 hours a week. She still works weekend shifts, however.
This is one of the reasons that led her to look for a change in life and start researching new areas in which to specialize and practice. Reconnecting with that love of caring for people, having more human contact and promoting well-being, she took an acupuncture course.
“I have always liked the integrative side of healthcare, so I started studying acupuncture and, during the course, I learned about the practice applied to aesthetics. I liked this field from then on,” says Dr. Camille.
Aspirations through Aesthetic Nursing
While studying acupuncture, she fell more and more in love with the field of Aesthetic Health. And that was when she felt something more was missing, that she needed to go deeper into this content.
“So I started researching and found Nepuga, and I saw it was what I wanted. I learned more about it, the curriculum, the content, and ended up enrolling in the postgraduate program in Aesthetic Nursing,” she says.
Today, Dr. Camille works in the State's health surveillance department, but she plans to work only in Aesthetics in the future. “First I need to graduate and get my qualification, and then balance my current job with client appointments,” she explains.
Since she has two small children, she tries to adjust her schedule to be with them. During the week, because she works part-time, she can take care of her children, but on weekends, since those are shifts, she needs someone to look after them.
“For now it's a rush. I work every day of the week, and on Saturdays, when I have time off, I'm here studying, so it's hectic. But I hope that in the future I'll turn that around.”
The aesthetic nurse says she saw an opportunity not only for a better financial return but also for a shorter workload, while earning even more than she does now.
She also says Aesthetic Nursing really is a way out and a great alternative for nurses, especially for those who want to see beyond illness and find an area with integrative care and beautification.
“I hope to have a better quality of life, work with what I love and get a good financial return. I'm loving it. I already liked caring for women's health when I was in maternity care, and I'm enjoying it much more now,” concludes Dr. Camille.
Josiele Batista
NEPUGA content team — Núcleo de Especializações Ana Carolina Puga.
