Pubic hair

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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!

And as for what i would do for the pt., unless the shaving is medically necessary, i would decline as well.

:yeahthat:

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You should be able to find a salon that has someone who will come to your facility or her home to do it. I wouldn't do it either.

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Specializes in Psych, M/S, Ortho, Float..

Considering all the grief I got for shaving an old lady's mustache, I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole.

And this is my hundreth post!!!

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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.

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Specializes in hospice, home care, LTC.

This may be partially decided by the setting. In home care it is not at all unusual for a patient to make such a request. As long as the patient is not on blood thinners or has any other contraindicator to shaving, I will comply with the request.

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.

Only on allnurses would a thread on pubic hair seem reasonable....

I would say to her: I don't think I should, last time I did that for a patient I cut something important off.....

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I would say to her: I don't think I should, last time I did that for a patient I cut something important off.....

*snort*

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*snort*

* double snort *:chuckle

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Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

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...." ;)

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Specializes in Nursing assistant.

So you don't hurt her feelings, how bout: there are infection control issues that prevent us from providing this service. But NREMT-P/RN would be glad to do your brows. ;)

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I would tell her that I wasn't the person for the job... As I am not too good with a razor and show her the scars on my lower legs...

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Ah..No.

reminds me of a pt who requested that I remove her piercing south of the border.

Ah..no again. I told her to have her boyfriend help her with that. along with the piercings north of the border on "thelma and Louise".

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