Starting Monday, nurses and other health care providers at Children’s National Hospital in D.C. will have access to “Hair for You,” a program that trains nurses to competently care for the different hair types of all their patients.
Starting Monday, nurses and other health care providers at Children’s National Hospital in D.C. will have access to “Hair for You,” a program that trains nurses to competently care for the different hair types of all their patients.
Reneé Roberts-Turner, executive director of Nursing Excellence and Child and Family Services at Children’s National, said providing care for patients’ hair is in line with helping aid all tasks of daily living.
“That is really anything you do every day — from brushing your teeth, washing your face, and in this case, hair care,” she said.
Nursing is a demanding job and field. She said the added video module that provides new training received a mixed reaction from the hospital’s nurses
“I think people are like, ‘I’m busy,’ and then there are people that are very interested in it,” Roberts-Turner said.
Head-to-toe assessments are a standard part of nursing care, she said, such as checking the scalp for signs of skin cancers or pressure injuries that can result from barrettes, braids or cornrows.
Providing a medicated or special shampoo to patients can be part of the standard care as well.
Roberts-Turner recalled one parent’s reaction after a nurse helped her following a child’s test that included placing electrodes on the child’s scalp. The application of the electrodes required the use of a sticky substance that left a residue on the child’s scalp and hair.
“She talked about how much that meant, that she could get her child’s hair back to where it was originally,” she said.
Caring for their patients’ hair isn’t just about vanity, Roberts-Turner said: “It definitely is part of well-being,” and having some guidance in caring for all kinds of hair, from curly to coily to straight, really does matter.
The program at Children’s National has been in the works for years, but will roll out next week, and it’s something Roberts-Turner hopes to see become standard care in all facilities.
“It’s important that we make people feel as much like themselves while they’re in these spaces, like in a health care institution or a hospital, where they don’t have a whole lot of control,” Roberts-Turner said.
The program’s tools include wide-tooth combs and brushes that are gentler for curly hair, and a universal shampoo that works for all hair types, Roberts-Turner said.
“That was something that we as a team took some time to investigate,” she said.
“I keep thinking about the next generation. When I go into the hospital, I want this to be a standard of care too,” Roberts-Turner said. “Most people want their hair washed and clean and done every day.”
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