Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Strickland.
Hi Rebecca, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hello!! I am a mother of 2 little boys with a wonderful husband and have been a nurse for almost 7 years!! I graduated from Goldfarb School of Nursing with my Bachelors in Science of Nursing. Back when I was in 6th grade, my younger sister fell and hit her head at a softball game and had a TBI (traumatic brain injury). During her 3 weeks in the ICU and a rollercoaster of emotions, I decided I wanted to be in healthcare. Of course, I was young and unaware of how large the healthcare industry was, so I did not know exactly where I wanted to go with it. Unfortunately, I experienced another extremely traumatic incident in my junior year of high school, when my boyfriend had a brain aneurysm on my birthday. He spent 10 days in a medically induced coma before being called Home. During his stay in the hospital, I decided I needed to be a nurse. It was my calling. I wanted to help people become the best version of themselves. I wanted to be there for someone to lean on, just as the nurses were there for me during my difficult times.
During the first few years of my nursing career, I was selling skincare. I have always had a passion for helping people find their inner beauty. If you asked any of my girlfriends growing up, they’ll say we always had spa days or I would make them try the “latest and greatest” face mask- haha! I decided what better way to integrate medicine and beauty than to become an Aesthetic Nurse. I began educating myself on facial anatomy, aesthetic medicine, and the industry as a whole. It took me a good 3 years to finally dive deep into aesthetics and I will never turn back!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. This journey has been an absolute roller-coaster, especially mentally. Straight out of nursing school, 4 years after my boyfriend had passed away, I accepted a job in the exact hospital he was called Home in. In a way, it was healing. But I would be a liar if I said it any of that journey was easy.
After 5 years of being a bedside nurse, I was excited to step into the aesthetic industry full-time. With having no previous hands-on experience with injecting, I applied for my first Nurse Injector position and LANDED IT! PHEW, what a relief! It isn’t an easy task when many employers want previous experience and the industry is so competitive. Unfortunately, after 6 months, the company was just not a good fit for me. As a seasoned nurse, I knew having the right “back-up” is essential and I felt restricted with my duties at that company. Luckily, I had a colleague from the hospital ask around the time I was making the decision to leave if I would be willing to be the nurse injector in their office and I couldn’t resist! I had to make an extremely uncomfortable decision to leave them, as I was offered an opportunity by the one person I looked up to during my endeavors into the field! Racquel Frisella, a well-known injector in the STL area was opening her own aesthetic office and asked me if I would work for her! WHAT AN HONOR!! But absolutely NEVRE WRECKING!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently work at Racquel Aesthetics in Chesterfield, MO as an Aesthetic Nurse Injector. I am in pursuit of obtaining my Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner degree at Maryville University and will graduate in April of 2023. THIS CAN NOT COME SOON ENOUGH!! In-office, I specialize in treatments with injectables such as Botox/Dysport and Filler and write complimentary customized skincare regimens using our medical-grade skincare products! Becoming a nurse practitioner will set me apart from others because of my extensive education in the field. Continuing my education even after graduation is so important to me. This industry is ever-evolving and as a professional, I must stay up to date on the latest and greatest innovations!! It is my passion to take care of my patients to the best of my ability and make them find their inner beauty. As the saying goes- “When you look good, you feel good”. Seeing my patients smile back in the mirror after their treatments is beyond rewarding to me! I LOVE making people feel good in their own skin and I am currently taking new patients!
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Oh, the C-word. Like many people, it directly impacted me. Being a nurse in the midst of a pandemic was HARD. Navigating through the aesthetic industry was even HARDER! Everything was shut down, all the conferences and cadaver labs I had planned were canceled!!! I will say the most important lesson I learned was to have patience! I remember telling myself over and over again “This too shall pass”. We may still be experiencing unfortunate events from Covid, but there is always green grass somewhere!!
Pricing:
- Botox: $13.50/unit
- Fillers: $675 and up
- Microneedling: $350+
- April Specials: $75 off any Dysport treatment
Contact Info:
- Email: rebecca@
racquelaesthetics.com - Website: racquelaesthetics.
com/rebecca - Instagram: @rebecca_
strickland_rn
