You might not think cleaning a person's hair is that important when it comes to treating hospitalized patients, but nurses do.
"You're in the hospital, you're sick and they actually feel 10 times better once they wash their hair," said Teyana Ross, a registered nurse at AdventHealth for Children.
She and a group of nurses three years ago noticed something about the personal care products the hospital supplies for patients. Black families weren't using them.
The shampoo the hospital previously used would leave patients with coarse and more textured hair, dry and tangled, causing more stress in an already stressful environment. Some families would insist on bringing their own hair products, said Kysha Alexis, a registered nurse at AdventHealth for Children.
She says the previous product had problems, and Black children's hair requires different tools.
"It's really difficult, grabbing the hair, having a little comb, and you've got to get through every one of those coils, so you just pull, and it's really painful," she said.
About three years ago, Alexis and Ross made note of their concerns and filed their observations with AdventHealth. The hospital put together a research group, including the two nurses. They tried different products and surveyed doctors, patients and parents, trying to find something that would serve all patients better.
Differences in hair types have been well-documented – the "hair type chart" was made popular in the 1990s by Oprah Winfrey's hair stylist, Andre Walker. The chart notes four types of hair: straight, wavy, curly and kinky – each with its own subtyping and product requirements.
"Some hair's weight is different, and it's different how you take care of each hair. Some hair needs more moisture. Some hair needs less moisture. Some use more oils," Alexis said.
However, research into hospitals specifically using inclusive hair products is lacking. In 2019, the University of Iowa conducted a national survey of hospitals using products. It was unable to find any hospitals. In recent years, this has changed, with more hospitals adopting more diverse products, but data is still limited.
Eventually, the AdventHealth nurses found a product that was inclusive of patients' hair. The product came from a Tampa company already contracted with AdventHealth, Canviiy – a botanical-based scalp product line made to soothe head skin irritation. AdventHealth was using Canviiy products for its pediatric cancer patients.
"The product was originally made for them. It doesn't use a lot of chemicals. It helps with itchiness and growing the hair," Alexis said.
And as it turns out, the shampoo works very well addressing different hair types, Alexis said. The hospital tried out Canviiy's shampoo and conditioner. After an 18-month vetting process, the hospital found that patients and parents loved the product.
"Our partnership with AdventHealth is more than a milestone; it's a powerful affirmation that our mission to elevate the patient experience is not only resonating but making a meaningful impact within healthcare systems that prioritize compassion and quality care," Caviiy said in a press release.
Alexis remembers giving the shampoo to a mother whose daughter was in intensive care for months.
"Her daughter was mixed. So she had mixed-textured hair. So it was very difficult to find something in the hospital to allow her to wash her hair and make her daughter feel better. But once that product came around, she was in love," Alexis said.
Ross had a similar experience with a parent who had been waiting for her child in the ICU for days. She didn't have a change of clothes and hadn't gone home. Ross gave her extra clothes and a bottle of shampoo.
"She was overjoyed," Ross said. "When you feel clean, you feel good, or like it's something about just being clean, that shower that you take when you get home. It's like a reset."
The supplies go fast. Many nurses use the products to help soothe patients. The nurses are with patients for 12 to 13 hours a day, three to four times a week. Ross and Alexis love what they do, but that doesn't make the work easier.
"I don't think people realize the mental exhaustion behind nursing," Ross said.
Among the many responsibilities: monitoring patients, keeping them alive, and communicating with doctors and families. So, why should nurses concern themselves so much with something as simple as shampoo?
"It's part of being 'whole care.' You don't just take care of someone's left arm (when they're hurt), because that's the only thing that's messed up. When you take care of a patient, you don't only take care of the patient; you take care of their family, too. So why wouldn't hair be included?" Alexis said.
Since the hair care kits have become more inclusive, some of the non-Black nurses have been learning how to braid Black hair, Alexis said.
"That's not an everyday thing you do as a nurse," she said. "The nurses finding joy in learning how to do people of color hair, I enjoy that a lot."
And that's what it's about, feeling seen and healing the whole body.
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