Hairdressing in hospital?

Cyclamen

My last hospital stay had health care assistants who came round each morning and asked if you needed any help. I think there were more on our ward as we had the 'old age care section' in some of teh wings.

The nurses didn't have the time to help but these ladies were amazing, they helped me wash each morning and even took me for a shower. Perhaps you could ask to see if there is a similar set up.

I've used the hairwashing caps but found them a bit itchy so it depends on chemical sensitivities.

From what I saw how the ward works varies depending on which nurse is in charge (I had numerous visits to the same ward) but I am sure there will be a system to help with personal care.

Savvy_Sue

Just a heads up, but you might want to ask sooner rather than later what happens about getting toenails cut ...

tyllwyd

Thanks everyone! I can't get to the hospital see my mum very often, so it helps to have an idea of what is normal/possible before I ask her if she's OK.

meritaten

when I was doing a pre-nursing college course we were taught how to wash a 'bedbound' persons hair. but that was over forty years ago! today, they don't even bring round a bowl and water so you can have a wash - if you cant make the showers then 'tough'!
its so totally wrong - being clean with clean hair makes a difference.
if you would like to wash a relatives hair and get permission from the ward manager - then its simple.
bring in a bowl, and get warm water and some shampoo.
the patient needs to be halfway down the bed and all pillows placed under her/his shoulders and bowl under the head.
wet the hair and shampoo
rinse
if the hair is really dirty then shampoo again and rinse.
sit patient up and wrap towel around head while the bowl of dirty water is taken away. dry hair as much as you can. it will dry in ward without danger of pneumonia!

Person_one

meritaten wrote: »

when I was doing a pre-nursing college course we were taught how to wash a 'bedbound' persons hair. but that was over forty years ago! today, they don't even bring round a bowl and water so you can have a wash - if you cant make the showers then 'tough'!
its so totally wrong

That's funny, because I could have sworn I spent a big chunk of yesterday morning going round a ward bed bathing people with a bowl of soapy water...

Must have been dreaming!

(A bowl each by the way, I've made it sound like they shared the water!)

Sezzagirl

meritaten wrote: »

when I was doing a pre-nursing college course we were taught how to wash a 'bedbound' persons hair. but that was over forty years ago! today, they don't even bring round a bowl and water so you can have a wash - if you cant make the showers then 'tough'!

Not sure what happens about hair washing but this certainly isn't true in all hospitals


My Mum was recently in hospital (thankfully for only a few days) and she had a new, clean bowl every morning which the nurses filled with warm water and helped her to wash. they even discouraged another patient from washing in the public area as they were concerned about infection control


They couldn't have been more helpful and kind so, although she wasn't in long enough to need her hair washed, I'm sure they would have dealt with it sympathetically

tyllwyd

Yes, I think they are helping her wash, so I'm not complaining that she's being neglected.


I can imagine washing her hair in bed at home, but I can't imagine trying to do it in a hospital ward, and I can't think that nurses would be happy with visitors messing around with bowls of water. I'll ask her what they are doing - one of those shampooing caps sounds like the most practical solution if I need to help. They also sound like a good idea when eventually she can go home if she is still immobile then. Otherwise, I expect they will get her into a wheelchair soon, so perhaps there might be an option to take her to a bathroom and wash her hair while she is sitting.


Thank you to everyone!