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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!
The OP did not give the impression that she thought the pt had ulterior motives for asking, I think it's pretty clear the pt just wanted it done because that's what she's used to in her hygiene. That said, I would refuse also, because of the potential problems. I think I would explain to her that because shaving is not medically necessary, it's not something I would feel comfortable doing. Washing is part of hygiene, shaving is not.
Easy!
Simple answer!
NO!
Save your life? Yep, I'll give it my all.
Pubic hair "grooming", manicures, pedicures, leg shaving/waxing, eyebrow shaping, etc.... NO. NO. NO!
However, at a place I used to work I was the goddess of the great brows, so many (other staff) would call and when we had a little down time (in the trauma room - great light) and if I had my great tweezers - they would schedule a plucking! Only other staff/friends (never a patient). No other services except for brows! No charge either!
"I get by with a little help from my friends...."
mad9
64 Posts
:yeahthat: