Published Jan 18, 2015
Fruit Sucker
262 Posts
So this is a bit personal, but do you wash your hair every day after work? I can't help feeling like I have bacteria in my hair when I've been at the hospital, even though I avoid touching it. My hair is dry though and I dislike washing it every day.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
I do not wash my hair daily. I belong to a racial-ethnic minority known for having a grade of hair that will dry out and become brittle of daily shampooing is attempted. If my hair needs 'refreshing' before I am ready to wash it, I will apply a dry waterless shampoo.
ixchel
4,547 Posts
I do. I'm a grease ball after one day.
Baubo516, RN
405 Posts
I do not wash my hair every day - largely because I don't have enough hot water to wash hair & shave in the same shower! But also because my hair gets too dry when I do. I guess it depends on what type of unit you work on, and what type of patients you are caring for. If I cared for a patient with an airborne disease that day, I would probably wash...but for surgical, rehab, stroke patients, I don't think they are really much germier than I am.
for surgical, rehab, stroke patients, I don't think they are really much germier than I am.
Good point.
Bbett, MSN, NP
314 Posts
I wash my hair in the morning and at night every single day and especially on days that I work. I work on a med SURG floor that always has at least 6 isolation patients. Yuck.
traumaRUs, MSN, APRN
88 Articles; 21,268 Posts
Yeah I was my hair every single day sometimes twice in one day. I lean over pts all day and I get grossed out if they cough or sneeze in my hair.
IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP
1,344 Posts
I "wash" everyday with conditioner. I rarely use shampoo. This gets my hair clean without the drying aspects of the shampoo.
Glycerine82, LPN
1 Article; 2,188 Posts
YES!
I never could stand the thought of not washing it after working in a hospital all day. There was no way I didn't have SOMETHING floating around in there somewhere!
anon456, BSN, RN
3 Articles; 1,144 Posts
I have to wash daily or it gets too greasy, but I am wondering for those who don't, maybe invest in some cute surgical caps to keep your hair free of the yuck. I work with trach patients and sick babies who are infected with some bad bugs. Even though I try to stay out of the way of the coughing, I still feel head to toe gross when I get home.
maryen
95 Posts
Yes! I provide suction and trach care all shift and even with my hair pulled back in a pony I know stuff sprays on me. What really bothers me is the smell. My hair seems to pick up those lovely trach scents. First thing I do when I get home is shower😳
nursel56
7,098 Posts
I wash my hair every day and have for decades nursing job or not. I'm not really doing it because of germs, just that I feel kind of icky until I can wash what might be there that I'm not seeing. I find myself thinking about what's on those hotel bedspreads when they put it under a black light.