How to hire LPNs at your med spa: A quick overview

Key takeaways

Every LPN hire starts with an active state license, proof of a state-approved practical nursing program, and a passed NCLEX-PN exam.

What an LPN may legally do in a med spa varies sharply by state, so check the comparison table before you write the job description.

Texas lets LVNs inject under physician supervision, while Arkansas, Arizona, California, and Nevada keep injectables outside LPN scope.

Hiring runs in six steps: define the role, post it, screen resumes, interview, verify credentials, then make a competitive offer.

Practice management software like Pabau stores each license and certification on the staff profile and limits which treatments that member can be booked for.

A med spa runs without a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). It just runs harder, because your injectors end up doing the prep, the aftercare, and the paperwork between appointments.

An LPN takes that work off them. They room patients, take histories, handle post-treatment care, and keep the documentation current.

Hiring one takes more than a resume check.

Three things have to line up, in this order:

• Verify the license with your state’s Board of Nursing
• Check what that state actually allows an LPN to perform
• Then confirm the candidate has training for those specific procedures

That middle step is where most of the risk sits, because scope of practice swings hard from one state line to the next. A Texas LVN can inject botulinum toxin under a physician’s supervision. Two states over, the same qualification will not let them near a syringe.

Below you’ll find the credentials to look for, a state-by-state scope comparison, and the six-step hiring process.

What qualifications are required to hire an LPN for a med spa?

An LPN needs an active license from your state’s Board of Nursing and proof of a state-approved practical nursing program. They also need training for the specific procedures you plan to assign. And your state has to allow an LPN to perform those procedures at all.

Those three requirements stack. A perfect resume is worthless if the state rules out the work.

Education and training

Every LPN reaches licensure through the same route, so this part is quick to verify. Here are the credentials to ask for before anything else:

Ask for the NCLEX-PN result and the program certificate as documents, not as line items on a resume. You will need copies on file anyway.

State licensing

In the US, nursing is a licensed profession, and each state runs its own Board of Nursing. That board sets the rules, issues the license, and decides which aesthetic procedures an LPN may perform.

The differences are not subtle. In Arkansas, the Nursing Board states that performing aesthetic procedures is not within the scope of practice for LPNs.

In Arizona, LPNs can’t perform injectables. They count as Level III (Advanced) procedures and must be done under the supervision of a licensed independent practitioner with specialized training.

Meanwhile, LPNs (LVNs) working under Texas med spa rules can perform medical procedures under a physician’s supervision, including injectables like Botox and dermal fillers.

State scope of practice at a glance

Five states, five different answers. A “no” on injectables does not mean a “no” on aesthetics. Nevada and California draw that line in completely different places.

Rules change, so treat this as a starting point and confirm with your own Board of Nursing before you post the role.

The California position comes from the American Med Spa Association, which reports that LVNs cannot inject, use light-based devices, or provide microdermabrasion. Supervising physicians face discipline too.

Nevada is the most detailed of the five. Its Board of Nursing publishes a procedure-by-procedure grid approved in January 2025. LPNs are cleared for a long list of device and peel work under direct supervision. Neuromodulators and dermal fillers sit outside their scope.

That grid is the practical lesson here. Write the job description around the procedures your state permits, then hire for those. Not the other way around.

The same state-by-state logic governs who may own the business. Under California’s licensing laws, whether a nurse practitioner can open a med spa turns on corporate practice of medicine rules, not nursing scope.

Before hiring, run these three checks:

• Check the LPN’s license with the state Board of Nursing: confirm it is active, valid, and in the state where you operate
• Confirm there are no restrictions or disciplinary actions: past violations can limit which roles the candidate may fill
• Read your state’s own scope guidance: find out which procedures LPNs are allowed to perform where your med spa is based

Put license checks on the same schedule as the rest of your compliance checks. A pre-hire file that nobody reopens is how an expired license slips through.

Specialized training for med spa procedures

A license proves an LPN can nurse. It does not prove they can run a laser. Procedure-specific training comes from accredited courses, workshops, or supervised hands-on programs.

The American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses (ASPSN) offers certification exams that validate a nurse’s expertise. Look for credentials in fields like:

• Injections: precision is key for injectables and dermal filler procedures, which means LPNs need training to ensure safety and effectiveness.
• Laser treatments: skin resurfacing and laser hair removal aren’t plug-and-play procedures. LPNs need specialized training on laser settings, skin safety, and protocols.
• Chemical peels: proper training is essential to avoid burns or hyperpigmentation and achieve the best results.

Match the certificates to the treatments on your menu. A candidate certified in peels adds nothing to an injectables-heavy schedule, and states like Nevada tie clearance to each individual procedure.

Qualities to look for in an LPN during the interview process

An ideal LPN candidate is the full package. They’re skilled, warm with patients, and a good fit for your med spa culture.

That’s why, during the interview, focus on their qualities, such as:

• Clinical expertise and precision: a steady hand and attention to detail are critical in aesthetics. Your LPN should follow protocols flawlessly.
• Compassion and patient care: a great LPN understands the client’s standpoint and provides both expert care and emotional reassurance.
• Strong communication skills: patients need clear explanations of procedures. Your LPN should be able to explain things without using medical jargon.
• Good time management: med spas are fast-paced work environments. A quality LPN knows how to balance efficiency with quality care.
• Team player: med spas thrive on teamwork. Your LPN should collaborate seamlessly with providers, estheticians, and front-desk staff.

One more to weigh: comfort with the scope limits of the role. An LPN who wants to inject, in a state that won’t allow it, will not stay long.

Steps to follow in the hiring process for LPNs

Six steps take you from an open role to a signed offer. Define the role, post it, screen resumes, interview, verify credentials, then make the offer.

Here’s what each one involves.

Define your needs and expectations

Start by writing down the procedures you want covered, then cross off anything your state won’t let an LPN perform. What’s left is the actual role.

Some of what’s left may suit an esthetician instead. Facials, peels, and skin care consults often sit in that bracket, so decide which role you are really filling.

• Outline what you need: post-treatment care, assisting with consultations, or supporting procedures? Do you want one to two years of experience, or will you train the right candidate?
• Check state regulations: always check with your state’s nursing board. Some states allow LPNs to inject under supervision, while others limit them to post-care.
• List must-have qualifications: a valid LPN license is required. Certifications from specialized centers are a plus.
• List specific skills: look for clinical expertise, strong patient care, attention to detail, and excellent patient communication.

Those four answers become the job description. Anything you can’t answer yet will read as vague in the posting.

Create a job description and get the word out

Crafting a job description is like setting up an appealing med spa storefront. If it isn’t clear and eye-catching, no one will stop and look. Here are the key elements to include:

• A job title: keep it clear and simple, like “Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) – Med Spa”
• Company overview: a brief intro to your med spa business, where it’s located, and what makes it unique
• Job summary: an LPN who can perform and assist with treatments, ensure patient safety, prep clients, collect consent forms, and document progress with before-and-after photos
• Key roles and responsibilities: list every LPN duty, from performing treatments and assisting with consultations to maintaining records and educating clients on aftercare
• Required qualifications: a valid LPN license for your state, plus a set number of years in a medical or aesthetic setting
• Preferred qualifications: desirable but not essential extras, like experience with specific procedures or familiarity with medical software
• Compensation and benefits: an overview of the salary, benefits, and perks such as health insurance and continuing education
• Work schedule: the expected hours, whether that is full-time, part-time, evenings, or weekends
• Application instructions: a clear call to action explaining exactly how to apply

Name the procedures the role does and doesn’t include. Applicants self-select, and you stop wasting interview slots on injectors you can’t legally use.

Source and screen qualified candidates

Once the posting is live, the resumes and cover letters start arriving. Shortlist the candidates who meet your criteria by:

• Only selecting candidates with a valid license and experience in a similar medical setting. If you’re a med spa, you want med spa experience.
• Prioritizing candidates with expertise in the procedures your state actually lets an LPN perform
• Looking for candidates who can demonstrate excellent patient care, strong communication skills, attention to detail, and good organizational skills

Check the license number against the state board register at this stage, not after the offer. It takes two minutes and removes the worst surprises.

Conduct effective interviews

Decide who will conduct the interview: the hiring manager, lead nurse, spa owner, or a combination. Involving multiple perspectives helps assess fit while reducing individual bias.

Start with an icebreaker question that is light and open-ended, such as:

“What inspired you to pursue a career as an LPN?”

Then move on to the LPN interview questions that show how the candidate thinks, such as:

Verify credentials and check references

Verify every document against the issuing body rather than the candidate. Nursing schools, training centers, and the state board will all confirm or deny in writing.

• Verify diplomas and certifications: contact their nursing school and training centers directly
• Confirm LPN license validity: use the state nursing board register to check the licensure is valid and active
• Check references: call or email previous employers to verify work ethic and performance

You can also run a criminal background check for healthcare-related offenses, such as fraud, abuse, neglect, or drug charges.

One step often runs alongside this one. Most states that let an LPN perform aesthetic procedures require a supervising physician to order and oversee them.

So if you don’t already have that oversight in place, add it to the plan. Learning how to hire a medical director matters as much as vetting the LPN. The LPN’s legal scope depends on that supervision existing.

Make a competitive offer

To close out the hiring process for an LPN, offer a competitive salary.

Nursa reports the national average is $67,050 annually or $32.24 per hour. However, local factors can impact pay rates.

Check local job boards, and compare your number against what aesthetic nurses earn. That is what your offer competes with.

But a competitive offer isn’t just about the paycheck. It should also include some benefits to make your med spa stand out, such as:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Commission bonuses
• Staff discounts on treatments

Also, be upfront about job expectations. Let candidates know what shifts they’ll work, the types of patients they’ll care for, and whether you need weekend cover.

Spell out the scope of the role in the offer letter too. It sets expectations, and it gives you a written record of what the LPN was hired to do.

How Pabau tracks LPN licenses and simplifies staff management

Hiring is the easy half. Once your LPN starts, someone has to keep proving they’re still licensed and still trained for every procedure they perform.

Licenses renew on a cycle. Certifications lapse. Boards update their scope decisions, as Nevada did in January 2025. In a shared spreadsheet, none of that surfaces until an audit or an incident forces it.

Pabau is an all-in-one practice management system for US med spas. Every team member gets a staff profile that holds the paperwork behind their scope:

• Documents: upload the license certificate, NCLEX-PN result, and each course certificate, so the evidence sits on the profile instead of a filing cabinet
• Training: log the aesthetic courses each team member has completed, so you know who is cleared for peels and who isn’t
• Services: set which treatments each staff member can be booked for, so a scope-limited LPN never lands on an injectables appointment
• Performance: review each person’s completed appointments, cancellations, and revenue, so you can see who needs more support

The Services setting is the one that matters most for a scope-limited LPN. Configure it once and your calendar and online booking can only assign them treatments they’re cleared to do. The same control decides who may operate each device in a laser practice.

Everything else follows from having the team in one system. Schedule shifts, track commission, and pay staff without a second spreadsheet. Run a quarterly license review as one screen per person, rather than an email hunt.

Keep every practitioner’s license and scope on file

Pabau stores each team member’s license, certifications, and bookable treatments on one staff profile. Your front desk can only book procedures that practitioner is cleared to perform, so scope limits hold without anyone remembering them.

Book a demo

Conclusion

The expensive mistake in LPN hiring is taking on someone your state won’t allow to perform the work you hired them for. A personality mismatch is far cheaper to fix.

So run the scope check first. Read your Board of Nursing’s own position on aesthetic procedures, decide what the role can legally cover, then write the job description around that answer. Everything downstream gets simpler.

The trade-off is speed. Verifying a license with the board and calling two references adds a week to your timeline. That week costs far less than a board complaint or a lapsed certificate found during an inspection.

Get the vetting right once, then keep the evidence somewhere you can find it. Book a demo to see how Pabau keeps every practitioner’s license, training, and bookable treatments on one staff profile.

Continue your research

Wondering who may own the business? Who can open a medical spa breaks ownership rules down state by state, including NP and PA structures.

Need the supervision in place first? Can a nurse practitioner be a medical director explains who may order and oversee delegated procedures.

Planning a nurse-led practice in California? Can a nurse open a med spa in California covers the 49% ownership cap and what AB 890 changed.

Setting up on your own instead? Nurse practitioner private practice walks through practice authority, staffing, and the decisions that follow.

Staffing more than one location? Multi-location med spa management covers scheduling, oversight, and consistency across sites.

Frequently asked questions