Guest Bloggers

Women in STEAM: Leslie Harmon

Leslie Harmon | Cosmetic Surgery Center – Rhys L. Branman, MD | Clinical & Surgical Services Director, Certified Plastic Surgery Nurse, Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist

A Day at Work… Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays starts with a GIANT cup of coffee (and my running shoes) very early in the morning. I oversee the surgery center at the Cosmetic Surgery Center where we have several procedures on these days and I serve as the clinic’s surgical nurse.  Our surgeries cross the spectrum of cosmetic surgery. During my time in the operating room, my role is patient advocate; making sure our patients are safe at all times before during and after their procedure.  In between surgeries, I’m calling patients back and managing employees in the office.

Surprising but True… We need Nurses! The baby boomer nurses are retiring and there are many opportunities for women to join the field. Nursing is very rewarding and I would highly recommend this meaningful career. In the plastic/cosmetic nursing industry, there is a shortage of certified plastic/cosmetic nurses – there are less than five in Arkansas right now. Currently, underqualified and uncertified people are injecting patients. Without the proper safe guards and standards in place, a patient can be left with terrible outcomes, or worse, permanent disfigurement.

LOVE the WorkThe best part of my job is watching our client’s self-esteem SOAR! When patients come in for the preoperative photos they are often shy, slouched and embarrassed. After all, most of us would never think we would be having our photo taken without clothes in front of anyone!  By the time they come in for post-op pictures, you can see not only the transformation externally, but internally as well.  They are walking with confidence and are enthusiastically embracing their results. 

Photography by Lori Sparkman Photography

Inviting Arkansas

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