Pubic hair

[nurseJLoo]

My female patient wants me to shave her pubic hair, she cant do it herself she only has limited movement of one arm . Should I do it? (I would rather not) any advice? Update-this is a LTC Vent patient who is not going home. Believe it or not this isn't the first patient that asked me to do this I had another patient with ALS ask me to trim hers with an electric razor because she said the hair gets caught in her underwear and pulls. I had got "pulled" to her unit and she asked me to do it -had her own electric razor-so me like a fool assuming the nurses were doing it for her went ahead and did it then i found out that only a few people would do it for her. What do I look like? the personal pube trimmer? also she was a real pain in the butt about how it was trimmed, I dont want to relive that nightmare!

[Scrubby]

I have to clip pubic hair in the OR sometimes, thankfully the patient is asleep!

I don't believe it's necessary for any nurse to shave a patients nether region. It's not like they walk around with no pants on and everyone can see they are hairy. It's purely a vanity thing and nurses are not beauticians.

[ednurse17, BSN, MSN, RN, NP]

I agree with WitchyRN. Nurses have enough to do, if it needs to be clipped ie for surgery, yes, I'll do it. Otherwise, they are on their own. I'm not a prude either.... as far as what they look like when they come in, its their choice if they shave, wax, whatever. We nurses don't really pay that much attention to it anyway. If we're "down there" its usually for a reason.

[DoeRN]

I had this done for surgery and it was not a pleasant experience. I am sure the nurses were used to it but it felt worse than getting a foley. I would have to draw the line at this we are (will be after Oct) professionals and to me shaving pubic hair is not in the scope of our practice. We don't work in a spa and we are not a hotel and also like other people said the razors in the hospital are horrible. I have had male patients to ask me to shave their faces and I refuse with the razors the hospital provides. I nicked on man and felt horrible. He had so much facial hair that food was getting caught in it and it was not a pleasant sight. Just think of a nick in the pubic area. Just waiting for an infection to start IMO.

[NurseyPoo7]

I worked in an ALF where a pt who had sexual psych issues before (I found this out AFTER the fact) kept coming to the nurses (the nurses worked in the office and med techs and aides worked up on the floor) and asking us to trim his pubic hair.

The administrator (not a nurse) "delegated" it to me. No way in hell I was going to do this.

Later that day AFTER I had left to go home, I was called on my cell by the administrator b/c pubic man was down there c/o his pubic hair again.

I was told I HAD to come back and give him a trim or I was in deep doo doo.

So, I came back and went to find a pair of scissors. Couldn't find any blunt/safety tip scissors. I found this huge pair of silver metal sharp scissors. Went up to the administrator and went "Snip snip! Do we have any smaller scissors than this b/c I dont want to cut his member off on accident"

A couple weeks later I went thru his chart and looked at old nurses notes and he had been seen by the psychiatrist before for sexual advances/comments he made to other residents.

[claybob]

I don't understand. Although I strongly disagree with it I thought it was very common for a nurse to shave "down there" for Pre Op. Many of the comments I've read here from nurses make it sound like it's the last thing on earth they would ever do. Is that what the aides and assistants have to do? Why would it be so different than Pre Op?

[psalm, RN]

Perhaps it would be best that if the pt. wants/needs it trimmed, to get a doctor's order for it. I am thinking that we do cath-care, and this would qualify.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I don't understand. Although I strongly disagree with it I thought it was very common for a nurse to shave "down there" for Pre Op. Many of the comments I've read here from nurses make it sound like it's the last thing on earth they would ever do. Is that what the aides and assistants have to do? Why would it be so different than Pre Op?

Because even the OB-GYN docs have gotten away from shaving the pubic hair for procedures. I did a fair amount of GYN procedures before I started specializing, and I don't think we ever shaved down there.

Surgeons are getting away from shaving operative sites...they feel it can cause more problems than it's worth.(ie nicks leading to infection) On the occasions we do remove hair, we are to use clippers, not razors, per policy.

[carbaminohemoglobin]

I would have to say a "No!"

It definitely would be an infection issue! From the few times I've attempted to "groom" myself, I know that it leads to nicks, ingrown hairs, rashes, pain, itchiness.. Hair removal is certainly NOT my specialty. I believe this duty should be reserved for a professional.

Not too mention (I believe this was stated previously), it may be perceived in a sexual way. Normal peri-care would be much easier to explain than shaving pubic hair for aesthetic purposes.

I will shave a man's face in the same way I would fix a woman's hair or paint her nails if I had the time, but anything more than that.. I think not.

[ECKPowers]

As a patient, I can relate to wanting my underarms or legs shaved. But I would never, and could never, ask someone to shave my " Nobody Should See".

That's not basic patient grooming, that's raunchy.

Shag Nasty!

*shudders*

[twistedpupchaser]

I had a girlfriend shave me down there, (yes we were both drunk) and I would rather have dreadlocks than go through that experience again.

[Lovelymo79]

Wow...

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Seriously Batman?

Wow.... repeat