Hairdressing in hospital?

tyllwyd

My mum has been in hospital for a couple of weeks now, and is likely to be there for several weeks more at least, if not months.


I'm starting to wonder what they would normally do in hospital about washing hair. She's immobile from the waist downwards, but she can sit up in a chair. Do the nurses normally help patients who need their hair washed, or do they expect family to do it? (I've got no problem doing it in principle, but at the moment my mum hasn't even been in a wheelchair, and I have no idea how I could manage it!) Do they maybe have hairdressers come in, and should I be making sure she has money available to pay?

Person_one

Have you asked the staff on the ward? Is she having bed baths at the moment?

She won't have to pay to have her hair washed.

maman

When my SIL was in hospital her son did her hair (happens to be a hairdresser) but I suppose it would be OK for any relative to offer. Otherwise staff would probably do the essentials but family more likely to have time to make a good job of it. I'd ask if I were you, likely to make your mum feel a whole lot better in herself to have her hair done.

Torry_Quine

Are you saying she hasn't had her hair washed already as it certainly should have been. Even patients in intensive care who are unconscious and bed-bound can have their hair washed.

For anything more hospitals usually have a hairdresser for whom appointments can be made. Speak to the staff to find out.

mountainofdebt

I think as in all things it depends on the set up.

My mum used to work in a geriatric hospital and a mobile hairdresser used to come in and do the patients' hair

Having said that my aunt was in hospital for a while recently and she wasn't asked if she wanted anyone to come in and cut her hair which by the time she came out, she was in desparate need for a haircut.

azzabazza

Our main teaching hospital has a hairdressing salon within the main entrance mall. Mobile patients can be taken down for appointments. There is also a mobile service on the wards.

Person_one

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Are you saying she hasn't had her hair washed already as it certainly should have been. Even patients in intensive care who are unconscious and bed-bound can have their hair washed.

For anything more hospitals usually have a hairdresser for whom appointments can be made. Speak to the staff to find out.

Torry, lots of wards don't use the plastic hair washing trays anymore as they put pressure on the back of the neck, similar to those backward leaning hairwashing sinks at hairdressers that have been known to cause strokes. Also, infection control don't like them!

If a patient is bed bound, they are probably getting their hair 'freshened' with soap and water every day but it can be very difficult to do a full proper wash and rinse, especially if the hair is long and thick.

There are special shower caps that you put in the microwave, then onto the patient's hair and massage in and leave for a bit. The results aren't as good as a proper hair wash in a shower but they're not a bad substitute. You could ask about these. Not every hospital I've worked in stocks them but you could probably take one in yourself and ask the staff to use it?

This sort of thing: http://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Rinse-Waterless-Shampoo-Caps/dp/B008ATC75E

FatVonD

My mum has just come out of hospital though she was able to get to the shower she was getting quite upset about her appearance as she goes to the hairdresser every week. I asked the nurse if it would be okay for me to arrange for a mobile hairdresser to come in and they said it would be.

As your mum is unable to get to the shower, OP, maybe you could try this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rinse-Waterless-Shampoo-500ml-bottle/dp/B0084CZGUA/ref=pd_bxgy_d_img_y

Torry_Quine

Person_one wrote: »

Torry, lots of wards don't use the plastic hair washing trays anymore as they put pressure on the back of the neck, similar to those backward leaning hairwashing sinks at hairdressers that have been known to cause strokes. Also, infection control don't like them!

If a patient is bed bound, they are probably getting their hair 'freshened' with soap and water every day but it can be very difficult to do a full proper wash and rinse, especially if the hair is long and thick.

There are special shower caps that you put in the microwave, then onto the patient's hair and massage in and leave for a bit. The results aren't as good as a proper hair wash in a shower but they're not a bad substitute. You could ask about these. Not every hospital I've worked in stocks them but you could probably take one in yourself and ask the staff to use it?

This sort of thing: http://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Rinse-Waterless-Shampoo-Caps/dp/B008ATC75E

I never used one of those trays when I was working, The microwave cap sounds like a good idea but do hospital wards all have microwaves?

JoW123

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I never used one of those trays when I was working, The microwave cap sounds like a good idea but do hospital wards all have microwaves?

We have one in our clinical room as we also use it to warm heat packs. However, I do work in a palliative care Unit so I'm not sure what the general wards do. Those shower caps are really good so it might be worth asking the staff if they do supply them.

Person_one

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I never used one of those trays when I was working, The microwave cap sounds like a good idea but do hospital wards all have microwaves?

Usually, but if not then there'l, be one somewhere in the whole hospital. As a last resort you can boil a kettle and leave them to sit in the hot water for a few minutes.