Education in aesthetics and beyond

It has certainly been an exciting few months, as we have been preparing for the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) autumn conference in Birmingham. The quality of the well-known and respected experts who were invited to update us about the latest innovation in their field, together with the live demonstrations, contributed to the overall excitement that could be felt at the venue. This year's conference began by paying tribute to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history. We observed a minute's silence and the auditorium fell to a hush with each person reflecting on what the Queen had meant to them. Sharon Bennett, chair of the BACN, then talked of the commitment and devotion the Queen had displayed to the nursing profession over the years.

There was definitely a special enthusiasm and increased sense of excitement about this meeting, as it had been 3 years since the last annual conference due to the restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. It was heartwarming to, at last, bring all the nurses together again in one venue. The agenda proved to be particularly rich in academic content this year, with some exceptional nurse speakers taking to the stage and carrying out live demonstrations. We were also privileged to welcome some of the medical pioneers in aesthetic medicine to give lectures and provide us with visual demonstrations. It is not exaggerated to state that we witnessed some of the very best academic showcases in aesthetic nursing.