Clipping hair

[ChristineAdrianaRN, BSN, RN]

My boyfriend just had surgery and I was shocked to learn that they clipped his body hair in the pre-op area. In my place of employment, we do it after the patient is asleep on the table. Yesterday I received a AORN newsletter that talked about hair clipping, and it said that it should indeed be done before entering the OR. Makes sense in terms of cleanliness, lower risk of infection, etc. I wonder if we do it in the OR after the patient is asleep because it's a pediatric hospital? Maybe it would be too scary or traumatic for the kids to do it while they're awake?

What do you think? How do they do it where you work?

[jmlowe85]

I am on the neuro team, we clipper hair in the OR after intubation and positioning while we prep. I know what AORN says but who wants to be awake when we shave a good portion of your hair for a craniotomy for tumor case, the pt is already going through enough emotionally.

[eleectrosaurus]

I had a pilonidal sinus excision, i wouldnt want to be awake while the nurse shaved my butt.

[HollywoodDiva]

Usually children are clipped once they are in the O.R to minimize the traumatic experience for them.

[ChristineAdrianaRN, BSN, RN]

@jmlowe85: *nods* I'm on the neuro team too, and that's exactly how I feel about it.

@eleectrosaurus: lolol, well my boyfriend had an inguinal hernia repair and some elderly man shaved his pubes. While whistling. But you're probably right, butthole shaving would be worse!

@HollywoodDiva: that's what I figured, though most kids that we need to clip have already hit puberty, so they're older, so you would think it would be okay for them, but I guess a 15 year old boy is still a child. :)

[ORoxyO]

Our patients are clipped in pre-op unless it is a neuro case

[Ilovethe80s]

I will usually shave in pre-op if it's an ortho case, like a total knee, shoulder scope, etc. But if we are doing an inguinal hernia, I wait until we are back in the OR and the patient is asleep, mainly b/c their genitals are showing and we have to shave around that area. If I was a patient having an inguinal hernia repair or something that exposed my "private" area(s), I would prefer it be done when I'm asleep....you know....give em some dignity.

[lockheart678]

Any place I've ever worked has always clipped in the OR after the patient is intubated. It is odd to me, especially when the first place I worked at even had signs in every OR stating that you should not shave a patient in the OR. I guess they hung the signs because you shouldn't shave a patient at all, but the sign even stated that you don't want to have loose hair like that in the OR anyway. I've also seen other places do all of the clipping in pre-op and that seems like it would be the safest option.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

We do both depending on the area of the surgery.