Nurse Supervision

In Australia, nurses must have a prescribing doctor supervise them when administering prescription-only medications for cosmetic purposes. This supervision is a legal requirement and ensures that a doctor or nurse practitioner provides a consultation and prescription, either in person or through a video call.

What is Supervision?

When a nurse administers a prescription-only medication for cosmetic treatments, it is done under supervision. The nurse must have a valid prescription and be supervised by a prescriber, such as a Doctor or Nurse Practitioner. This supervision can be done through a face-to-face or video consultation. It is crucial to stay current with the ever-changing regulations and requirements in each state for this industry.

Supervisor Setup

Supervisors must have the permissions to 'supervise' which allows linking to an appointment so they can view the client's file, and sign prescriptions.

If you are unable to view your Supervisors please contact a Business Admin in your team to check the user's settings.

Supervisor Availability 

A manual 'Available / Away' setting control allows supervisors to highlight whether they are currently online and ready to take video consultations. Because this status can change, occasionally a Supervisor will need to be changed, which is expanded upon in detail further down the article.

How to Allocate a Supervisor

To allocate a Supervisor in the Cosmesoft system, the nurse must have at least one 'supervisor' assigned within their team. This Supervisor can either be working within the same business (internal) or depending on state-wide regulatory requirements, may be a cosmetic-trained practitioner who contracts for the business remotely (external). 

For example, it is common for a nurse-owned business to contract a doctor to supervise and prescribe treatments, even if the doctor does not work at the clinic. This is possible as long as the state's regulatory guidelines allow for remote supervision and prescribing.

Steps to Add a Supervisor

Go to Admin > My Team:
Navigate to the Admin section in your Cosmesoft account, then select My Team.

Invite a New Supervisor:
To invite a supervisor to your team, click on Invite +. You can invite a Supervisor from within the same business by indicating Internal or an External Supervisor, based on your state's regulatory requirements.

• Refer to the article on managing My Team 

How to Choose a Supervisor for a Consultation

When Starting a Consultation for prescription-only medication, a Supervisor must be selected. This Supervisor can be edited at any time until the consultation is submitted and completed. 
The drop-down list will only display available Supervisors who are part of your internal team or have been invited to your team. 

Supervisor Access:

When a nurse allocates a Supervisor, that Supervisor will have that same client's appointment appear in their list of appointments and gain access to patient’s forms, past treatment notes and before and after images.

The Supervisor will also see any Unsigned Prescriptions that the nurse appears, so they an easily review and sign them.

Changing the Supervisor:

There are multiple places the nurse is able to change the Supervisor, if they are unable to contact the original choice.

A new Supervisor can be selected from the Supervisor list in the Visits list.

The Supervisor list also appears in the top right hand corner of the consult screen. Select change and the option to select a new Supervisor will appear.

Key Points to Remember 

• In Australia, Supervision is Required by Law: Nurses cannot administer prescription-only medications without a consultation and prescription from a prescriber.
• Supervisor Can Be External: Depending on your state’s regulations, an external prescriber (such as a contracted doctor) can supervise treatments remotely. Remember to Revoke Access if the Supervisor is no longer working with the business.
• Ensure the Supervisor is Assigned Before Consultation: The supervisor must be chosen before the consultation occurs to ensure they have the appropriate access to client records and can provide the necessary prescriptions.

By following these steps, you can ensure that all treatments are compliant with local regulations and provide the necessary level of care to your clients.

If you have any further questions, please refer to the My Team section or contact our support team for assistance.