How do I handle very long hair on patient?

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Gubernaculum666

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Let's take this as an example. Assume she is unconscious and unable to respond. I haven't had to deal with quite as long hair, but I've dealt several times with hair long enough to be a hassle carrying the patient to the ambulance, with it getting caught everywhere and all. And I don't want to be spending time tying it or making a bun or something when I need to urgently get her to the hospital. So, assuming you have only one partner with you with minimal supplies, what sort of protocol would you follow to ensure the above patient is carried to the ambulance safely and efficiently?
 

NomadicMedic

I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Grab it in a big chunk and wrap Coban around it or just tuck it under the patient.

I can't believe some of the questions here these days.
 

E tank

Caution: Paralyzing Agent
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Collect the hair in a pillow case and cover the patients head with it like a hood. But we're talking Crystal Gayle type hair.
 

Jim37F

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I've only found long hair to be a minor annoyance (at best), usually when putting a c collar on someone supine on the ground and trying to avoid grabbing their hair when threading it around the neck. Super long hair like the picture attached in the OP wouldn't be any different in that situation that normal long hair.

I could see how that super long hair may be an issue if you need to pick up and carry your patient, but here, we routinely place a linen sheet between the patient and whoever is picking them up from behind. So that would help contain all that excess hair in and of itself.
 

OnceAnEMT

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Let's just hope it's only the hair and not...

...the NAILS!

1ca400302e3b5eb8b6e45c9483d72275.jpg
 

DesertMedic66

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Cut it off and leave it in a patient belonging bag at the ED.


Serious answer: I have never had an issue with patients hair so I can't help much.
 

NysEms2117

ex-Parole officer/EMT
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cut it.
 

NysEms2117

ex-Parole officer/EMT
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ERDoc

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[QUOTE="Gubernaculum666, post: 636723, member: 31012"what sort of protocol would you follow to ensure the above patient is carried to the ambulance safely and efficiently?[/QUOTE]

Your medical director gets paid to write protocols to deal with things like long hair? Where do I sign up?
 

hometownmedic5

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Oh and if you taking a minute to secure her hair represents a significant enough delay to definitive care that it will negatively affect your patients outcome, then it would be reasonable to assume that a bls ambulance is not the place for this patient and they were probably going down the tubes anyway.
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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isn't that why we carry razors?
 

VentMonkey

Family Guy
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Let's just hope it's only the hair and not...

...the NAILS!

1ca400302e3b5eb8b6e45c9483d72275.jpg
Totally saw a lady like this in the ED lobby a few weeks back after dropping off a patient. Hers were 6 or 7 years long, and yes, I totally asked all th questions no one else wanted to.

Sweet lady, but sadly she informed me hers were not quite "Guinness Book" worthy.
 

akflightmedic

Forum Deputy Chief
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Almost 25 years in this line of work...1000s and 1000s of patients....never had a single issue with hair aside from my own and that is not a length issue...more about volume. Geeze that almost sounds sexual too!
 
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