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?

Okay, but it's still icky. Especially since the patient was getting a tonsillectomy!

Darn those body hairs, always crawling up under sterile drapes and into incisions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MDS/ UR.
Sexual assault? Seriously?

When your sexuality has been violated- acts such as this can be resurface a lot of things. Your genital areas are not some area that health care providers can just do as they like.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Just a random related question, because I am honestly curious what everyone thinks...

What happens when poop is in the lady parts?

That is where a peri bottle, a plastic bedpan, to catch the contents, a couple of chux, and some warm, soapy water, come in handy. Shaving a person without her consent, to save time, is still wrong.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Sexual violence survivor here, so don't tell me I'm trivializing myself by advocating for someone else's right to not have their genitals handled and altered without consent. You cannot put sexual violations on a hierarchy of who's allowed to be hurt and how much.

Whether it is sexual assault to handle someone's genitals and shave them, legally, depends on the motive of the person who did it. The motive in this case was clearly not to provide medical care, and the patient was unconscious and unable to consent/refuse, discuss, or even observe the procedure. If you have touched a patients genitals with no valid reason, it IS valid to ask what the motive actually was.

Even if you don't view it as sexual assault, there is no reason to laugh at a patient who has had their intimate body parts handled and altered without consent. Even if you don't believe it's sexual, it's deeply personal. It should never have happened, and dismissing a patient who had that experience and was horrified by it is just plain wrong.

Edited to add: I'd also like to note that to a survivor, having your bodily autonomy violated in nonsexual ways still evokes the fear and helplessness that "real" sexual assault created. Hearing other people tell you "It's not a big deal" is damaging. Hearing that healthcare professionals think it's funny turns my stomach.

Well said. I hope this post makes people think and consider how it would feel to a person whose background you may not know. It may be no biggie to YOU but it may be a real big deal to him or her. Respect.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
Does sexual fondling not mean grabbing, groping or touching genitalia for the purpose of sexual gratification? One does not have to "fondle" another to shave their public hair. I totally can understand why someone would be upset about their pubic hair being shaved without their permission. But calling it sexual assault is exaggeration. Arguing about the semantics of shaved pubic hair is ridiculous especially when there are multiple cases of rape, child molestation and trafficking happening EVERY DAY. Should her pubic hair been shaved without her consent? No. But it is not sexual assault. Calling it that is a mockery to real cases of sexual assault.

The intention of the perpetrator is irrelevant.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

I'm super annoyed, because I just finished a PN program and even WE can't start IVs. I think it's within our scope, but we weren't taught and I don't know how to do it.

I was a CNA for many years and the hospital I worked at permitted ED CNAs who were called "Techs" to do all sorts of things. Because I was a CNA I can tell you for sure that sterile technique isn't something they're taught, and I'd be a bit weary, personally.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
I've been known to go fishing if it's right there. I do keep in mind pushing it in more, a la Q-tips and ear wax, so it really

depends on where it is, yaknowhutimsayin'?

Ah, you are too funny. I can't!!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thats what I was taught as well. It is viewed as a sexual assault. Not to be done without permission of the individual.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
You're a CNA being asked by nurses to start IV's? That's more concerning to me than any overgrowth of hair anywhere!

Exactly what I was thinking!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I'm super annoyed, because I just finished a PN program and even WE can't start IVs. I think it's within our scope, but we weren't taught and I don't know how to do it.

I was a CNA for many years and the hospital I worked at permitted ED CNAs who were called "Techs" to do all sorts of things. Because I was a CNA I can tell you for sure that sterile technique isn't something they're taught, and I'd be a bit weary, personally.

Don't be weary. Be leery:sneaky:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Behavioral Health.
Don't be weary. Be leery:sneaky:

I'm wary of being too leery.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
I'm wary of being too leery.

I'm weary of being too wary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment