I make 6 figures giving at-home IV infusions for hangovers, dehydration, and more – here’s what my job is like

• Mary Youssef, 25, is a pharmacist and mobile IV infusion therapist based in New York City.
• She administers IV infusion treatments for hydration, hangovers, inflammation, and more.
• This is what her job is like, as told to freelance writer Jenny Powers.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mary Youssef, a mobile IV infusion therapist, about her career path. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Five days a week, I probe the arm of some Wall Street executive, professional athlete, celebrity, socialite, or rich kid who's partied too much, in search of a healthy vein to administer the IV infusion therapy of their choice, to aid with everything from dehydration to hangovers.

Before becoming one of HealthIV's 20 mobile IV infusion therapists in New York last year, I worked as a pharmacist at the local drive-thru window of a national pharmacy chain.

After dedicating six years to earning my doctorate degree at St.John's University and landing myself in six-figure debt because of it, I wound up feeling more like a glorified fast-food server than anything else.

I wanted to find a better work situation, so I took an IV therapy course. Initially, I figured I'd dabble in infusion pharmacy but after spending close to three months getting my IV certification, I came across HealthIV, a company that hires trained pharmacists and registered nurses to compound and administer IVs on demand.

I soon wound up quitting my job at the drive-thru to become a full-time IV infusion therapist.

These days, compounding, infusing, and administering a host of medications while ensuring patient safety in a fast-paced environment is all just part of an average 12-hour workday for me.

On weekdays, my alarm goes off at 4 a.m., allowing me plenty of time to get ready, meet our van driver near where I live in Queens, and head out to clients in Manhattan, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Most days my first appointment begins between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and for many patients, I'm the first person they see in the morning.

It takes administering about five infusions a day to earn a six-figure salary, from a base salary plus the commission based on the number of treatments. On an average day, I administer between six and 10, and on cold days during flu seasons or weekends that number can easily increase to between 12 and 15. (Editor's note: HealthIV treatments start at around $129 per session.)

There's always a certain level of vulnerability amongst both parties involved in house calls. One minute we're strangers, the next minute you're inviting me into your home to perform delicate work on you. I think the most surprising part of the job is the intimacy of it all - there's always a bit of awkward silence in the air when I first begin.

In the case of high-profile patients, I'm often required to leave my phone and electronics at the door and sign nondisclosure and privacy forms to ensure confidentiality.

There's no room to be starstruck in this job, despite the fact that in many instances I find myself standing face to face with someone I've idolized.

Sometimes, I have to carefully monitor my own breathing so as not to seem anxious or nervous. A little voice inside my head says, "Stay calm, find a vein, don't shake, and don't hold their hand too long or they'll grow suspicious."

After I insert the IV, people sit back and let the therapy do its work over the course of 30 to 45 minutes.

Some read or watch TV or listen to music while others talk on the phone as if I'm not there. Time and again, I've been privy to conversations bordering on national secrets, but my lips are sealed.

Celebrities usually just put on a sleep mask and lay back to avoid conversation.

I usually just find a quiet corner to hang out so as not to disturb them. I can't leave the room or go too far though since I need to monitor them throughout the process to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Often I just sit and look around my surroundings, in awe of these lavish surroundings and penthouses I'd never be able to afford, and take it all in.

Our two most popular therapies are for hydration and hangovers.

We also offer a variety of other therapies targeting everything from inflammation to stomach flu to chronic illness such as migraines, fibromyalgia, and asthma.

One of my busiest work days recently was following The Met Gala last month, though we don't charge celebrities because we rely on their word-of-mouth to bring in exposure and additional business for us. During the holidays, I get a lot of bookings from clients eager for a post-hangover infusion.

I also visit patients suffering from debilitating illnesses that require long-term therapies prescribed by their doctors. Most of them cannot perform the most basic daily activities, but they are relentless in the quest to get better and so they endure a weekly IV treatment.

These are the types of patients that make my long days most worth it. They often share stories with me about their grandkids, and invite me to sit with them and drink tea.

My average weekday finishes around 6 or 7 p.m., but on weekends, it's common to work until midnight. Each day I receive the schedule for my following day's shift, so no two days are ever the same.