Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Cosmetic Procedures: Ethical, Professional and Advertising Standards in Australia

Patient Selection, Consent, Cooling-Off, Advertising and Safe Practice for Cosmetic Work

  • About 3 hours
  • 20 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Cosmetic practice now has its own set of Board guidelines, consultation rules, cooling-off periods and advertising restrictions, layered on top of the ordinary Code of conduct. This three-hour course explains which rules apply to you and how to put them into practice from first enquiry to aftercare.

The course begins with why cosmetic practice is regulated differently, which rules apply to whom, the area of practice endorsement for cosmetic surgery and the public register, and the Code of conduct that sits underneath. It then covers scope, training and competence across professions, nurses in cosmetic practice, complication readiness and prescribing cosmetic injectables.

Patient selection is covered in depth, including motivation and expectations, screening for body dysmorphic disorder, declining and referring respectfully and people under 18. Consent lessons cover what people need to know, consultation structure and cooling-off for cosmetic surgery, deposits and finance, and consent for photographs.

Later sections deal with facilities and emergency readiness, managing complications, aftercare and continuity, records, advertising law for cosmetic services, images, social media and influencers, prescription medicines and TGA rules, harmful content, business models and sales targets, non-disclosure agreements, responding to dissatisfaction and regulatory consequences.

What you will learn

  • Work out which cosmetic guidelines apply to your profession and procedures
  • Stay within your scope and training, including the specific expectations for nurses
  • Meet the consultation requirements before prescribing cosmetic injectables
  • Find out why a person wants a procedure and whether body dysmorphic disorder may be driving the request
  • Apply the protections for under-18s and the cooling-off rules for cosmetic surgery
  • Gain and record informed, financial and photography consent
  • Plan for complications, aftercare and records that stand up to review
  • Market cosmetic services within the Board guidelines, section 133 and TGA rules

Who this course is for

  • Doctors who perform cosmetic surgery or offer non-surgical cosmetic treatments
  • Registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in cosmetic clinics
  • Dental practitioners offering facial aesthetic treatment
  • Prescribers who consult for cosmetic injectables
  • Clinic owners and managers responsible for consent and marketing

How the course works

  1. After checkout the course is added to My Courses in your account, so you can start straight away on any device with a modern browser.

  2. Move through 7 sections (28 lessons in total) in your own time; lessons open in sequence and the player remembers where you stopped on that device.

  3. Each section ends with key points and prompts for reflection. Your notes can be downloaded as a Word course pack or printed for your portfolio.

  4. Sit the 20-question assessment at the end. Score 80% or more (16 of 20) to pass; answer options are reshuffled if you retake.

  5. Complete the reflective account and feedback to finish. Your certificate of completion shows the estimated learning time (about 3 hours), and you record the time you actually spend in your CPD log.

Course content

8 sections · About 3 hours · 20-question final assessment

1The Australian Cosmetic Regulatory Landscape4 lessons
  • Why Cosmetic Practice Is Regulated Differently
  • Which Rules Apply to Whom
  • Titles, Endorsement and the Public Register
  • The Code of Conduct Underneath It All
2Scope, Training and Prescribing4 lessons
  • Working Within Scope Across the Professions
  • Nurses and Midwives in Cosmetic Practice
  • Training, Competence and Complication Readiness
  • Prescribing Cosmetic Injectables
3Patient Selection and Psychological Assessment4 lessons
  • Exploring Motivation and Expectations
  • Screening for Body Dysmorphic Disorder
  • Declining and Referring Respectfully
  • People Under 18
4Informed Consent and Financial Consent4 lessons
  • What People Need to Know
  • Consultation Structure and Cooling-Off for Cosmetic Surgery
  • Financial Consent, Deposits and Finance
  • Consent for Photographs and Their Use
5Safe Procedures, Facilities and Aftercare4 lessons
  • Facilities and Emergency Readiness
  • Recognising and Managing Complications
  • Aftercare and Continuity of Responsibility
  • Records That Stand Up to Scrutiny
6Advertising Cosmetic Services Lawfully4 lessons
  • The Legal Framework for Cosmetic Advertising
  • Images, Social Media and Influencers
  • Prescription Medicines and the TGA Rules
  • Harmful Content: Under-18s, Trivialising and Sexualising
7Commercial Pressures, Complaints and Accountability4 lessons
  • Business Models, Sales Targets and Conflicts of Interest
  • Complaints Information and Non-Disclosure Agreements
  • Responding to Dissatisfaction and Poor Outcomes
  • Regulatory Consequences in Cosmetic Practice
8Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (20 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 3 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

Are nurses allowed to perform cosmetic injectables?

Registered nurses and nurse practitioners may work in cosmetic practice within their scope, training and the medicines law of their state or territory. The course explains the specific expectations for nurses and the consultation required before a prescription.

Does the course cover the 2025 non-surgical cosmetic guidelines?

Yes. It covers the guidelines for higher-risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, which took effect in September 2025, alongside the cosmetic surgery guidelines.

Are before-and-after images allowed when advertising cosmetic work?

Only within strict limits. The course explains the conditions in the advertising guidelines and the additional restrictions for cosmetic services.

Can a clinic use non-disclosure agreements with unhappy patients?

The course explains why agreements that stop patients from making complaints or notifications are a serious professional concern and what the guidelines say about complaints information.

What evidence do I get when I finish?

You receive a certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time, and you can download a course pack holding your learning record, a revision sheet and your own reflections. Your CPD log should show the time you actually spend.

Does completing the course satisfy a condition or undertaking?

Not automatically. Where a Board has set education as a condition or undertaking, the course usually has to be nominated and accepted first, so check with Ahpra or the Board, and your legal adviser or defence organisation, before you enrol.

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