Client Consultation, Communication, and Professional Ethics
Consultation is the step that prevents complaints, allergic reactions, and liability. Items test what you ask, what you record, and what you refuse.
Before the service
- Use an intake form: medical conditions (diabetes, circulatory disease, immune suppression, psoriasis), medications (blood thinners, isotretinoin), allergies (acrylates, nickel, fragrance, latex), pregnancy, occupation, prior reactions.
- Ask open questions about what the client wants and has had before; confirm length, shape, color, and price.
- Explain risks: filing, chemical exposure, removal.
- Obtain consent, including for a minor per your jurisdiction's rules.
During and after
- Tell the client what you see and what you will not do.
- Keep records: products, service date, observations, referral given. Store securely - client information is confidential.
- Stay in scope: no diagnosis, no treatment claims, no "cure."
- Refer when in doubt, in writing, and note the referral.
Ethics
Honesty in advertising and pricing, no hidden fees, no disparaging competitors, no working while ill, no discrimination. Respect language and cultural needs - New Mexico clients may prefer Spanish, Navajo, or a Pueblo language; arrange interpretation rather than relying on a family member for consent.
Worked example. A client with diabetes asks for a deep callus shave. Reasoning: reduced sensation and poor circulation make cuts dangerous and slow to heal, placing the request outside a nail technician's scope. You explain, decline the shave, offer gentle filing and moisturizing, and suggest a podiatrist. You record the refusal and the referral - that documentation protects both of you.
Traps: treating the intake form as paperwork to skip; promising a medical outcome; discussing a client's health in front of others; assuming a signed form removes your duty to refer.