When draping a patient with long or thick hair, which approach is appropriate?

• A. Hair must be shaved completely before surgery.
• B. Do not change standard draping procedures regardless of hair.
• C. Use appropriate coverage, consider removing hair if necessary, and ensure drape adhesives can adhere.
• D. Drape placement should be delayed until after patient is moved to OR bed.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is to maintain a sterile field by effectively managing hair so it doesn’t compromise the drape seal. For long or thick hair, you should cover the hair with appropriate drape coverage and positioning, and only remove hair if necessary to achieve a secure seal and good adhesion of the drape adhesives. Hair can harbor bacteria and, if not contained, can interfere with the drape’s ability to stay in place, increasing the risk of contamination. Shaving the entire head is not routine because it can cause skin trauma and patient distress, and unnecessary changes to standard draping or delaying drape placement would jeopardize asepsis. So the best approach is to use proper coverage, remove hair only if needed to ensure a secure, adherent drape.