[ad_1]
Basic grooming is usually a problem throughout an prolonged hospital keep, taking a toll on the affected person’s temper and psychological well being.
A gaggle of medical students is on a mission to change that, by means of a program referred to as Bergen Barbers, named for the road in Newark, New Jersey, the place University Hospital is positioned.
Launched in 2021 by Vaishali Ravikumar, a Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) scholar, this system supplies haircutting, shaving and detangling services for hospitalized patients.
MAN SAYS HE GETS HIS FOOD FIX IN HOSPITAL CAFETERIAS: ‘WELL WORTH A VISI
Ravikumar got here up with the concept as a third-year scholar whereas caring for a trauma surgical procedure affected person.
Rutgers New Jersey Medical students — aka the Bergen Barbers — Ivan Loncar, Shivani Srivastava, Hetal Lad and Sowntharya Ayyappan are pictured exterior University Hospital in Newark. ( Keith Bratcher/Rutgers New Jersey Medical School)
“A patient who had been hospitalized for many days became so frustrated that he was on the verge of checking himself out against medical advice,” she mentioned in a press launch.
“His long, matted hair and unbrushed beard were making him very uncomfortable. My attending [physician] suggested I do something about it.”
After gathering some provides from across the hospital, Ravikumar gave the affected person an impromptu haircut.
HURRICANE HELENE CAUSES DIRE IV FLUID SHORTAGE AT HOSPITALS NATIONWIDE
“He requested a ‘faux hawk,’ and I did my best to deliver,” she mentioned.
“We laughed and talked through the whole process, and I learned a lot about him. When I finished, he was in much better spirits and trusted his health care team more than before.”
Motivated to lengthen the services to extra patients, Ravikumar recruited a number of NJMS scholar volunteers, and Bergen Barbers was born.
Self-taught abilities
The students, who had no haircutting or shaving expertise, picked up some fundamental abilities by watching YouTube movies.
“We learned how to use a clipper and how to give a basic haircut,” Ravikumar mentioned.
“Using waterless shampoo with a small spray bottle of water, we dampen the hair, shampoo it and towel it dry. For women, we do a straight cut. For men, we ask how short they want it.”
“I learned by watching some videos and doing some Googling.”
Ivan Loncar, one of many present scholar volunteers, mentioned he joined with “no experience” apart from shaving.
“I learned by watching some videos and doing some Googling,” he advised Fox News Digital throughout an interview.
ENGLAND’S HEALTH CARE CRISIS IS A ‘WARNING SIGN’ FOR US
“As I did more services, watched other people do it and provided more haircuts, I got more comfortable.”
This yr, Bergen Barbers added about 60 new medical scholar volunteers and applied a extra formal coaching course of.
Selecting the ‘clients’
Many of the patients Bergen Barbers serves have been within the hospital for an prolonged interval.
“They may be going through the toughest time of their lives,” Hetal Lad, one of many volunteers, advised Fox News Digital in the identical interview. “Maybe they’re finished with surgical procedure, however now they’ve new problems or … have been given tough information.”
“In that moment, seeing somebody who’s outside their health care team is really nice, as they can vent about things they don’t feel they can say to their providers.”
Rutgers New Jersey Medical students Ivan Loncar, Hetal Lad, Sowntharya Ayyappan and Shivani Srivastava exterior University Hospital in Newark. Launched in 2021, this system supplies haircutting, shaving and detangling services for hospitalized patients. ( Keith Bratcher/Rutgers New Jersey Medical School)
In many circumstances, the students assist patients who’re post- or pre-surgery and want a trim or a shave, in accordance to Sowntharya Ayyappan, one of many students within the group.
“We also have a lot of patients who experience homelessness and have not been given a lot of the opportunities to maintain hair care,” she advised Fox News Digital throughout the identical interview.
THERAPY PONIES IN SPECIAL PROGRAM BRING BOOSTS OF JOY AND HUMOR TO THOSE IN NEED
The nursing employees additionally assists with selecting patients.
“We make sure patients are able to provide consent and do not have a traumatic brain injury or any medical device in the head or face that might be an obstacle,” Ravikumar famous.
Patients with extreme blood clotting issues and these on psychiatric flooring are additionally dominated out, she added.
Rave evaluations
So far, Bergen Barbers has acquired solely constructive suggestions from patients.
AS SOLO AGING BECOMES MORE COMMON, HERE’S HOW TO THRIVE ON YOUR OWN
“We haven’t had a single bad experience,” Shivani Srivastava, a present volunteer, advised Fox News Digital.
“They’re always very appreciative that we came by and gave them whatever service they wanted.”
In a manner, Ayyappan mentioned, the Bergen Barbers are giving a way of “humanity” again to their patients.
“We’re providing a service that’s very routine and part of human nature — it’s something we all have to do innately as humans,” a scholar volunteer mentioned. (iStock)
“We’re providing a service that’s very routine and part of human nature — it’s something we all have to do innately as humans.”
The periods additionally present a chance to have conversations with the patients about their hobbies and lives exterior the hospital partitions, she added.
“We’re seeing them not only as patients, but as people.”
“We’re seeing them not only as patients, but as people.”
Some patients may not get exterior guests, Loncar famous.
“For them, those precious 10, 30 or 40 minutes are an amazing experience to just unwind — even if it’s just complaining or reminiscing about something, or telling us about their lives or giving advice as an older individual.”
The periods allow the students to acquire expertise with affected person interactions, they mentioned. (iStock)
In one state of affairs, a affected person requested the volunteers for a Bible, Ayyappan shared, which they supplied for him.
In one other instance, Srivastava mentioned, the group went in to give a affected person a shave and haircut, solely to understand that he could not communicate English, so he couldn’t talk with the volunteers.
“But he put on jazz music, closed his eyes and kind of turned the vibe of a hospital room into his own barbershop,” she mentioned.
An instructional expertise
While the patients benefit from the outcomes of the grooming services, the medical students are additionally reaping the rewards, they advised Fox News Digital.
The services permit the students to get early publicity to working with patients, Ayyappan identified.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“You’re learning empathy, you’re having hard conversations with patients,” mentioned Ayyappan.
“You get comfortable with them, learn about them and hear about their problems in the hospital.”
“Those precious 10, 30 or 40 minutes are an amazing experience for them to just unwind,” a volunteer mentioned. (iStock)
Faculty mentor Amy Gore, an assistant professor of surgical procedure at Rutgers, shared her pleasure about this system.
For extra Health articles, go to www.foxnews.com/well being
“I was so excited when Vaishali approached me with this idea, and felt it could be a fantastic way to connect with patients and greatly contribute to their psychological well-being,” Gore mentioned in a press launch.
“It has been truly inspirational watching her bring Bergen Barbers to fruition and recruit an incredible team to keep the project alive as she transitions into residency.”
[ad_2]
Source hyperlink