Mr. Harry the Excessive Hair Patient

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Yup you guess it, this post is all about pubic hair. I've been in the game for almost 10 years and I have no idea why CNA's or nurses ignore pubic hair or excessive hair in general! I had a nurse ask me to get an IV on a patient once who literally resembled Chewbacca. Fortunately I had success in his hand which is frowned upon at my institution but heck what else was I going to do? Oh but thats not the half.... What about when I have a patient whose on golytely or diarrhea??? The last thing I'm tryna do is fidget with 7 inch longs hair. I'm wondering if its OK to provide lil snip snip?

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
On the flip side, I had a patient have abdominal surgery and wake up with me in ICU. She was very startled that someone had shaved her pubes. She asked me why it was done and I told her that I honestly had no idea. Her surgical incision didn't go that low or anything, and ALL of the pubes were gone.

The lost pubes bothered her more than the surgical pain - just the idea that someone would shave her pubes without asking her was intolerable, apparently. She said if she wanted her pubes shaved she would have shaved them herself. Something about the whole situation struck me as really hilarious.

I guess sexual assault is hilarious to some people.

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I guess sexual assault is hilarious to some people.

Oh, come on!!!

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Specializes in kids.
WTH???

Right????!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Cardicac Neuro Telemetry.
I guess sexual assault is hilarious to some people.

Sexual assault? Seriously?

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Sexual assault? Seriously?

Absolutely. Shaving someone's genitals without their permission can be considered sexual assault. Shaving someone's beard or other body part without their permission can be considered assault.

Get permission or don't do it. If you do it without permission (unconscious patient or what have you) there had better be a very, very good reason. I was specifically instructed that lice is does not count as a good reason.

This is what I was taught.

I thought it was standard until I saw the stuff people post here.

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Specializes in Neuro/Trauma Critical Care.

This is probably my favorite post yet on AN. Thank you Barbie for asking the hard hitting questions!

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Specializes in Med Surg/ICU/Psych/Emergency/CEN/retired.
In NC, a CNA II can do a lot of things, insert Foleys, phlebo (separate class though)-no arterial. In the ED, a lot of them start an IV but not hang anything. I was HH aide as a II and I could do tube feeds, established trach care, and wound care on a wound >48 hours old.

I think there are places where people work outside of their scope. Matter of time...

Interesting. You mention CNA II. I have never heard that title, but it does exist where you are. Where I am, a CNA is different from an ED tech, who can do a little more than a CNA.. It boils down to job descriptions and scope of practice in different states. I do have a hard time with CNAs performing skills and tasks that licensed RNs do. If I were a patient, I would refuse to allow a CNA to cath me. LVNs don't do what ICUMAN, RN did, where I am anyway. He (forgive me if I'm making an assumption) had a different experience in his early time as a CNA. Military medics get training and perform skills not permitted unless an RN outside of the military. Those skills certainly are beneficial to a prospective RN student. But the military is covered by its own rules and P&P, as are some institutions, I guess. All my comments refer to hospital practice. I have little to no knowledge what happens in the HH world.

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

Funny ... this reminds me of getting shaved 'down there' before having my appendix out at 15...

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

Just know where your floors clippers are for arm hair (I always clip when starting an IV unless in an emergent situation) and also doesn't anyone remember using shaving cream to help clean/loosen the dingleberries?

PS. I don't agree with the IV starting but it is what it is. Doesn't mean that someone that isn't a nurse can't be damn good at it, it's more about the accountability piece...or lack there of...kinda like MA's giving injections, etc. People on AN get all bent outta shape about the BSN being the entry way to practice but what happens when we spend all that money for a BSN and we don't get financially compensated for it as nurses and then MA's just take our jobs for less pay? I know, off topic! :facepalm:

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Absolutely. Shaving someone's genitals without their permission can be considered sexual assault. Shaving someone's beard or other body part without their permission can be considered assault.

Get permission or don't do it. If you do it without permission (unconscious patient or what have you) there had better be a very, very good reason. I was specifically instructed that lice is does not count as a good reason.

This is what I was taught.

I thought it was standard until I saw the stuff people post here.

Agreed.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Wait. Are you REALLY equating pubic hair removal to sexual ASSAULT? What is wrong with you?

I guess sexual assault is hilarious to some people.
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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Based on OP's other posts, I found this thread to be more of a forum for her to humblebrag about how's she's an unlicensed personnel who runs circles around licensed nurses when it comes to IV insertion.

I don't care what a state ALLOWS, I would never allow someone without NURSING background to start an IV on me or a loved one![

QUOTE=itiswell;9053710]This is probably my favorite post yet on AN. Thank you Barbie for asking the hard hitting questions!

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