Meet Kayla, Clinic Manager and Lead for Dr. Luke Swistun

Monique Ramsey (00:03):
Welcome everyone to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm your hostess, Monique Ramsey. And my guest today is Kayla. She's the clinic manager and lead nurse for Dr. Swistun here at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center. And you might recognize her because she has introduced herself on the podcast before, but we figured an update was due because she's come a long way since she started very first as a patient coordinator and then was working in the med spa. And so welcome Kayla.

Kayla (00:33):
Thank you. Thanks for having me again.

Monique Ramsey (00:36):
I know, I feel like it's meet Kayla round five, but I love that you're still with us and that we can say here's all these things that you've done and all the background you bring to the role. So tell us a little bit about your current role and how you help patients in the practice.

Kayla (00:55):
So my current role is a split between clinic manager of the nurses over in our clinic and then assisting Dr. Swistun, which is so fun. It's so rewarding. I would say on both ends. I don't have a favorite role in between the two. I really own the role altogether. There's not a minute or a second where I'm not really assisting or thinking about a Dr. Swistun patient and then really caring or supporting our nurses and their patients. So I would say that most of my role is really communicating with Dr. Swistun's patients and assisting his consults when they come in the post-ops, when they come in. I do see sometimes patients by myself and just relay the information to Dr. Swistun. So we've really had the opportunity to build the trust and the communication, so I'm really thankful for that. Being his assistant is just so rewarding. I'm coming up on, or I just passed a year, surpassed a year as his assistant, so I've now seen full circle the year results and that's been really fun in the journey. The other side of the role is just managing our clinical team and just ensuring that our clinical processes are up to date, we're having fun, we're safe. Our patient satisfaction is always first and foremost. So I really have enjoyed the role.

Monique Ramsey (02:17):
Well, and you're bringing so much from your background of working as a patient coordinator and knowing a lot about all the procedures, being an MA and knowing a lot about the procedures from that clinical standpoint, and then also working in the med spa. I mean, you were the manager of the med spa, and so you've got this very rounded experience with our patients and with our team. And so it's neat that you're bringing all that to your role now. And how long have you been at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center?

Kayla (02:52):
I've been here a little over five years.

Monique Ramsey (02:55):
Wow, okay. So what was that thing that you to La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center first?

Kayla (03:03):
So it's interesting because I actually applied maybe two years prior to receiving the role, and I actually would bring my mom over to UCSD for some treatments she was having, and she would tell me, I can see you working in that building and doing something fun, exciting, something important. And so I always had my eyes set on the area. And when I started to do research, I really wanted to be in plastic surgery because I love aesthetics and just how it empowers both male and females. And so I did my research and it was really about the reviews. It was really about the values in the practice, and I had my heart set on it. I was in plastic surgery right before I joined our practice, and it's been the best decision ever.

Monique Ramsey (03:59):
So as you transitioned into the current role, what really made you want to be the clinic manager or who talked you into it and who talked you into being a lead nurse for Dr. Swistun or kind of what were things out there that made you say, that's for me?

Kayla (04:19):
I really enjoyed the med spa. I really enjoyed the aesthetics, but the downfall of it was that I didn't get a chance to really be patient face-to-face with patients any longer. And when I was a coordinator, I loved that. when I was a coordinator and a medical assistant, I loved being in front of the patients and just to hear their stories of what brought them into our practice and how they're feeling in recovery and what they feel like, how happy they are with their results. So I really wanted an opportunity to get back to that, but I didn't know how to give up the leadership. And so when I saw that there was a lead position for our clinic, I thought, oh my gosh, is this my calling? And I thought, how amazing would it be to work with our nurses who have been here for so long who share the same values, who prioritize patient satisfaction?

(05:13):
I really wanted to be a part of that. And I can say it was a little intimidating at first because our nurses have so much experience. But on the flip side of that, I just thought, I'm going to learn so much. This is going to be so fun. And then when I continued to read through what we were looking for was the other detail to it was assistant to Dr. Swistun, and I thought, oh my gosh, if this is not the most perfect role for me. I had surgery with Dr. Swistun about one to two years prior to joining his team. And something that really resonated with me was that he shared his cell number with me and I asked, why do you share your cell number with every patient? Or is it just because an employee? And it was no, because you're my patient and this is how I communicate with my patients. And that was something that aligned with myself and the way that I like to communicate with patients. I don't want a patient to have to call and wait on hold or, not say that that's a bad thing, but I want to take care of them the minute that they're thinking about calling into us. And so our communication really aligns with one another. And so I gave it a go and I've been really, really happy. I just feel like this is where I'm supposed to be.

Monique Ramsey (06:32):
As you were looking to this role, I guess you could have easily thought, oh, I could grow and find a role as a clinic manager or as a nurse for a doctor outside of La Jolla Cosmetic. What is the thing that makes you passionate about staying at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center and working with this group?

Kayla (06:53):
I always say to myself, it's not even a question. I believe and value our values. They align with my personal values. We're patient obsessed, and we always look to do the right thing. We lean on each other to do what's expected and more we prioritize patient's safety. I never have to worry about is this going to be an issue down the line with a patient's safety or anything like that results, it feels like home. It feels safe. I myself had surgery here, so I can speak to that, but if anyone of my friends or family, I can't even believe you would consider going anywhere else. So it really is all about the values. The people here you'll notice the people that have been in different areas of the company in different roles, they've been here the longest. And it's because the people that really value our values will kind of dibble and dab into the other roles and really have a respect for one another of what it is we do in our day-to-day.

(08:03):
And so I think when you look at the people that have been here the longest, they're all in either a leadership role or they've done more than one position, and that's just been a dream. And I've been so lucky. I mean, people say like, oh, it's been so fun to work with you, but I've been so lucky to grow in my role despite how many times I've kind of changed it over. I've had fun in each of them and I've learned and grown so much. And it really has to do with our leadership too. So I'm really thankful for the opportunities at La Jolla Cosmetic.

Monique Ramsey (08:34):
So Kayla, tell me kind of what's the most rewarding thing about being Dr. Swistun's lead nurse?

Kayla (08:41):
It's really his bedside manner, and it's the way that he validates a patient and takes the time to really listen to them. He's incredible with his patients. He really prioritizes their care and their concerns. And I would say the most rewarding is seeing that connection between Dr. Swistun and the patient, the communication, the understanding, the validation, and of course the results, Chef's kiss.

Monique Ramsey (09:11):
Exactly.

Kayla (09:12):
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. The results are just the cherry on top to it all. People always say, are you bragging about your doctor again? Yes, absolutely. You have to come see Dr. Swistun.

Monique Ramsey (09:24):
Are there any special patient stories that stand out to you?

Kayla (09:28):
I would say there's one in particular that's very similar to other patients and just other patients can relate to this, but there is a patient that comes to mind who has signed consent for photos, to release photos to share with other patients, and it's an incredible story. So she suffered from psoriasis for about 38 years. She had implants. She could not find any other way to treat this psoriasis. I mean, it was awful to even hear about and then to see it and the way that she spoke about it. And then when you finally see it, you're like, I can't imagine this poor patient to live through 38 years with this condition and to not have found any sort of solution. And it was maybe a couple weeks prior to surgery, she had told her dermatologist, I'm going stop everything. I'm not going to take any other medication.

(10:24):
I'm not going to do any other steroid. I'm not going to use any other cream. My heart is set on taking out the implants. And this is what Dr. Swistun specializes in and patients do have breast implant illness symptoms. She decided to take her implants out, decided I'm not going to use any other medication or any other steroid. I could not believe my eyes. The second day she came in after surgery for her, you can already visibly see that the redness had turned into a light pill pink. So then one week out, this is insane, the psoriasis, there was no redness, there was no pink. The markings were almost completely gone. And it wasn't just that the skin had improved, but she as a person, she just lit up. And I will never forget that. I was just shocked. I will also share, we do share breast implant illness questionnaire, list of symptoms, and we actually give a blank one at the consultation. We give a blank one at the six months and at a year out from surgery, and we do a comparison to the initial, and yeah, maybe only two or three have resolved, but you'll be surprised how often we see that all of their symptoms have been resolved. And so I think just validating that not all implants are bad. Not all patients are going to have a reaction, but there are some patients out there that have these symptoms and they should be validated, they should be heard, and they should know of their options. Absolutely.

Monique Ramsey (12:01):
Right. So backing up to panning the camera back a little bit, tell us a little bit about the educational path that got you to come to us or get into medicine even in the first place, and where did you train and what led you into aesthetics?

Kayla (12:20):
So I went to Pima Medical Institute. I really liked them because they're accredited school. I liked them for the fact that when you get to the end of the course, they call this senior competencies, if you mess up one time, you got to start over. So they are really looking for people that are striving to be the best at what it is you're doing. So I liked that. I liked that they kept track of your attendance and your grades and hands-on training, I mean hands-on training, absolutely injecting each other and really being hands-on with their students. So I really liked the program. After Pima Medical Institute, I joined an ob gyn practice who also delivered my baby.

(13:14):
So she gave me the first opportunity and she and another doctor were the best of friends, and the other doctor was an aesthetic injector as well as a gynecologist and cosmetic surgeon. So I joined her practice. I learned a lot about injectables and lasers and just minor procedures like a labiaplasty. So I actually ended up working for both of them for quite some time. And in terms of the interest in aesthetics, I think what's really cool about aesthetics is that there is this similarity between healthcare and the beauty industry. And I think for myself, my mom was always someone who if we were to go outside, we could not just leave the house in sweats and dirty sneakers. She'd be like, go right back inside and figure it out. And so I think it was always be your best and put your best forward. And there are times to be in sweats and dirty sneakers, and that's fine. Maybe that's the gym. But I really like to show up as your best and I want to help people and support people in that it's okay to want to change something about yourself. If it bothers you that much, go for it to tell you not to do that?

Monique Ramsey (14:37):
Well, and that trust factor is so important as you go through researching a surgeon or even thinking about having anything done. But certainly in plastic surgery as you're looking, you want to feel like these people know what they're doing. They're experts in their field, and you want to leave from those interactions, whether it's on the phone or whether it's in person. You want to leave from those interactions feeling like, okay, I like them and I trust them. And you only get that when you have a really dedicated team like you who wanted to get educated in at the high level and come in and bring that professionalism every day into the office. And so that's part of showing up, is showing up as your best self, not just in looks, but in kind of your competencies and all of that, helping patients feel more comfortable and feeling like, okay, I can trust these people. You can't even let your guard down. They'll hear what everybody's got to say unless you're like, okay, these are my people. I feel comfortable. And so in your experience, what have you learned from listening to patients?

Kayla (16:02):
I think it's just that is listening to patients. I think never to lead with assumption. I think it's important to know your audience. Listening to patients really takes someone that wants to also give back in terms of listening. So I really want to understand the patient in front of me because if I were to go somewhere, I don't want someone to assume how I feel or what is it that I want? I want to feel heard. And that to me is everything is listening to the patient, validating how they feel, understanding their goals and their concerns and addressing their concerns, our jobs to cause any fear before a surgery or leading up to it. It's really to put you at ease and hope you feel well-informed and educated. And we want you to feel like you're making the best decision by the time you leave even in a consultation. So we do have a pre-op where we go through all of the information, but even at a consultation, you should feel well informed of your options, all options, and whether or not you proceed with one versus the other and what that outcome looks like.

Monique Ramsey (17:17):
And in terms of how you help facilitate for a patient, just their experience, you're really seeing them from the very first visit to all the way through, right?

Kayla (17:34):
Yeah, absolutely. At the consultation, I share my card, which has my direct line. I probably check my RingCentral more than I check my personal calls and texts. I told Dr. Swistun, they're all my friends at this point. But, yes, I walk them through from consultation to maybe even before pre-op, they have some questions and they'll meet with one of our nurses for a pre-op. And after pre-op, I'm checking in with them whether they required blood work or a clearance. I'm following up on that even before surgery. So the night before, I call Dr. Swistun's patients, check on them before the day before surgery, make sure they have everything they need. If they have any last minute questions, you'll be surprised how many people say, and where do I go? And I'm like, you come here. You come where you had your consultation in your pre-op, and we are all in the same place.

(18:27):
And that's very unique to us as well. So I will ask them if they have any other questions or thoughts, if they're nervous, if they're excited, and just make sure they feel good about their decision. So day of surgery, most of the time I'll say I do go back in the PACU recovery and see the patients and check in with them. They never remember this by the way. They don't remember it. They don't remember Dr. Swistun talking to them. They don't remember myself talking to them. It's just really rewarding to see them wake up and they're like, how did it go? I'm like, you look so good. They always do.

Monique Ramsey (19:03):
Yeah.

Kayla (19:03):
And I laugh with them and I'm like, you're not going to remember any of this. But it is really rewarding to go see them back there. And beyond recovery, I see them back for their first post-op visit with Dr. Swistun and so forth.

Monique Ramsey (19:16):
Yeah, I think that's nice because it's that continuity of care for the patient, but also for you because you're getting, you're on this journey with them and it's nice. It would be hard. My daughter, she works in OR, she's in trauma surgery, so they rarely even know how the patient got in there. Why? Was is it a motorcycle accident or whatever. And they never ever get to see them after. I'm like, oh, how did that lady go with the 89-year-old? And she's like, I don't know. And I would think that'd be so hard

Kayla (19:44):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (19:45):
It would be so hard to not know. Yeah,

Kayla (19:47):
I would lose sleep if that was my role of you just don't know what happens beyond surgery or anything.

Monique Ramsey (19:52):
It would drive me crazy. It really would. And I think it's just because I'm so used to being in our environment where you do you see the whole thing, you go from why they're thinking about it all the way to that 12 month pictures and that last visit. And so let's get a behind the scenes kind of question. If you were going to say in a nutshell what it's like working with Dr. Swistun, how would you describe it?

Kayla (20:19):
It is so much fun, but I've learned so much. So when I first joined his team, I let him know I over communicate. You can just let me know if you need a break, a breather, whatever. I over communicate. I want to make sure I understand how you do something and I want to have the feedback. I want to receive the feedback. And I even told him, if you're open to new ideas, let me know. And was, it was really fun. And honestly, I think back to when I first joined his team, it was so nice of him to really pull me to the side and hey, let's go pow-wow. And we'd sit there, we'd talk through the day, whether it be at the start of our day or at the end of the day. And he would teach me things of This is why I went this route.

(21:06):
This is why surgery went like this. This is why I did it like this. And so I really appreciate that he took the time to really train me and guide me and support me in this role. I could not have asked for better. We honestly have so much fun. I will say in the beginning, when he meets with a patient, his top priority is to really hear their reasons as to why they're here, meeting with him to really have a better understanding of what their goals are and their concerns are even about surgery, any concern that you really don't see how goofy and fun he is until maybe the first or third post-op. And I feel like that's what people have relayed to me as well in terms of their post-ops. So he is really funny.

Monique Ramsey (22:02):
I remember one of the videos, I don't remember what the topic of the video was, but one of the videos was sort of highlighting all the surgeons and and I didn't know him very well. He was sort of new and he just pops out of this doorway like sideways and it's like this. And it was so unexpected and so funny, but it was like, I didn't know that that side of him, you know what I mean?

Kayla (22:31):
Oh yeah.

Monique Ramsey (22:32):
And so it's really cute, just

Kayla (22:34):
Oh, definitely. Yeah, it comes out. So I will roam the halls and I'm like bestie, or I'm like Marco, because he'll say polo. But then there are times where he'll just sneak back into a room. Have you ever seen Homer, Homer Simpson from The Simpsons

Monique Ramsey (22:51):
Into the bushes?

Kayla (22:51):
Sneak back into the bush? Yeah, he does that to me. And I'm like, Nope, we've got to go. We've got to go see our next patient. So yeah, like I said, he is just so much fun. He's probably the most caring, most humble person I've ever met.

Monique Ramsey (23:07):
That's nice. That's such a good partnership. I feel like you both bring something to each other that helps lift them up and highlight their strengths. And so I think you're helping to organize him too, because he'll spend three hours on something if you don't wrangle him. Okay, we've got to keep going.

Kayla (23:33):
You've got to loosen the reins. Now we got to go.

Monique Ramsey (23:35):
Yeah. So it's cute. So Kayla, tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up and what do you like to do when you're not with Dr. Swistun or managing our nurses in the clinic?

Kayla (23:48):
So I grew up in Bakersfield, California. It's like four hours from here. When I'm not here in clinic and taking care of patients, I'm hanging out with my daughter. She just keeps me on my toes. There's always something that she wants to do. And we do play dates and things like that. She's seven going on 13. So it's a lot of fun. I would say outside of that, we love Padre games. We have season tickets, so we're always at the Padre games. My husband and I like to travel at least one to two times a year to see an NFL game. So we do that for fun. Otherwise I'm just hanging out with family. I'm pretty simple. I would say I'm okay just hanging out at home with my daughter and my husband.

Monique Ramsey (24:38):
Oh, that's nice. So do you enjoy when you're in San Diego or if you're going to say, okay, somebody's going to be in San Diego for the weekend, what would you advise them to do or check out and something that maybe you and your daughter like to do?

Kayla (24:56):
So we like SeaWorld. We don't live too far from it. We like SeaWorld, we like the zoo. We like just going out to Coronado or Mount Soledad is really beautiful. So I've taken my parents up to Mount Soledad quite a few times. I would say really anything else downtown is always fun to just go walk and walk around Seaport Village, every time someone is visiting us, we do not miss a Padres game. We have to take them to a Padres game.

Monique Ramsey (25:27):
Well, when my kids were little, we had season tickets also. And so that was just such a big part of our life. And then we were listening to Padre for baseball. If we weren't at the game we were watching on tv. It's so funny how that becomes such a big part of your life. So my son now is in London doing his PhD and his wife were here about a month ago. I'm like, okay, who are the Padres playing? I don't have season tickets anymore. So we all got together and we went to a game and we had such a good time. It was a Dodger game, so of course it was great. And then we won 12 to one or something. It was great.

Kayla (26:02):
Yay.

Monique Ramsey (26:04):
It was really fun and it was just like those are memories that they have and you all will have as a family, as you go into, as you go, everybody gets older and it's just a really fun thing.

Kayla (26:16):
Oh yeah, absolutely.

Monique Ramsey (26:17):
And now my son is working on his ballpark map so he can go to all the ballparks and see all the different places where people play, which is fun.

Kayla (26:26):
One of our patients did that too. It was really cool to hear all about it. But yes, going back to the stadium, there are times that we even go to the game that we don't even sit in our seats. We're at the playground with my daughter.

Monique Ramsey (26:40):
That new playground is so cool.

Kayla (26:42):
It's really cool.

Monique Ramsey (26:43):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, I had heard about it and I'm like, okay, you guys, we got to, because our seats were kind of over in the outfield in right field, but when we came in, we were sort of by the Omni, and I'm like, you guys got to walk over there. I want to see this whole area. Oh my gosh. I'm like, I wish the kids when they were little now been, it's 20 years of Petco Park, which I can't even believe it's been that fast. But when my kids were really little, we were at Qualcomm.

Kayla (27:14):
Yeah, so my husband and I are taking turns going up, going up into the jungle gym with her, so

Monique Ramsey (27:19):
Oh, fun. Yeah,

Kayla (27:20):
That's really fun.

Monique Ramsey (27:21):
That's a really cool thing. Okay, so last question is what advice would you give to somebody who's interested in plastic surgery? What are the things that you would tell them to look for and to bring into maybe their list of questions to ask or what to look for as they enter into that process?

Kayla (27:46):
I would say you really need to do your research on, so I think people, they go on the internet and the first thing they want to see is a before and after photo that does not tell the entire story. Are you looking into the doctor that you're interested in seeing? Because although that website may have a great before and after photo, I don't know if the doctor is not a board certified surgeon, did that result come from that doctor? So I would look into the credentialing of the physician. I think that's very important. I would also look into reviews, patient satisfaction, and even then if there's a bad review, how was that taken care of, what the communication was like. I would also ask about in-house or so that's a plus with us because we always know what's going on. So we have our anesthesiologist here, our board certified anesthesiologist.

(28:45):
So it's nice to have just one place where you have it all. I mean, just in the things that I am mentioning of what to look out for, I'm like, why not La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center? Because we are the best, we provide the best, I would say the care too. So I think that's a big one because for Dr. Swistun and I, we really take the communication seriously with patients. So if you're interested in having surgery, what does the communication look like with your doctor and your doctor's team you call in and how soon are they getting back to you? Even if you're just reaching out because you're interested with them, is it a two hour hold? Are they getting back to you within 24 hours or did it take a few days? Did it take weeks? And so things like that, because details are important and you should really understand all of the details and not just about preparing for surgery, but even what the recovery looks like.

(29:49):
Is your doctor really touching on the recovery and the downtime to your surgery? And is it realistic? Because some doctors will say, oh, you'll be fine in two to three days, and that's just not the truth. So really doing your research, and I always say this, it's all about the feeling you get. So if you feel great about, well, the office was nice and the staff was nice, but the doctor said something, I didn't really go with your gut feeling because that is your gut telling you that there's another option out there. And so I would say, do all of your research. There's nothing wrong with doing more than one consult, although I don't think you'll want more than one consult after seeing us.

Monique Ramsey (30:33):
Right. It's a good comparison though too. But I agree, it's sort of you want to tick off the boxes that are from the brain side of you. So is a board certified plastic surgeon, where's my surgery going to be done? Who's going to be doing my anesthesia? All those kind of very more intellectual side of the questions. But then there's the emotional side of it too. And I think you're touching on that is really important because you do have to feel like it's going to be a good experience also. And we don't want you going into it if you're not a hundred percent sure there's no rush to do something.

Kayla (31:18):
Yeah, this is all elective. There's no rush. And we can get you to the other side, but you've got to feel good about your decision.

Monique Ramsey (31:24):
Okay. I know I said that was the last question, but I have one more question before we wrap it up. Before we wrap it up, for our listeners, if you're a listening right now, if you're a subscriber, next time you come in the office, we're going to give you, just show us, show proof to Miriam at the front desk, show proof that you subscribed to the podcast, and we're going to give you $25 off of any product or service of 50 or more. So really what we have a lot of is amazing skincare and elastin is our skincare of choice. And so Kayla, if you were getting 25 off of 50 or more, what would you buy and why?

Kayla (32:05):
That's a tough one. So I do like the moisturizers, but I will say just into the summer months, the Alastin sunscreen, it's tinted, it's perfect. It blends really well. That's what I wear over the weekends into the gym. I won't wear anything else. It's nice to let the skin breathe. So the sunscreen's my favorite.

Monique Ramsey (32:26):
I feel like that's almost everybody's answer. It's so cute. It's great. I had it on earlier today when I went and got my hair done, and I didn't want to have or have time even to do my full makeup. So I throw on the Alastin hydra tint, off I went, came back, did the rest. But yeah, that's a good one. All right, well that was fun. So now hopefully for a while, Kayla, if you'll stay in this job, we won't have to do another meet, Kayla.

Kayla (32:52):
No, I think this is it. I mean, it doesn't get much better than that.

Monique Ramsey (32:56):
Oh, awesome. Okay. Well thanks everybody for listening. And Kayla, we going to talk, I already have an idea for our next podcast for you to come on. I want to talk about post-op care and I want to talk about some of the things that people may not know. So hope you'll come back into our little mini makeshift studio again soon. And thanks everybody for listening, and we'll see you on the next one. Bye.

Kayla (33:21):
Thank you.

Announcer (33:23):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone and show it at your consultation or appointment or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway in the Ximed Building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @ljcsc. The La Jolla Cosmetic podcast is a production of The Axis, theaxis.io.