Certified Nursing Assistant Exam Prep

Answer: A - The nurse aide should soften the beard with a warmed towel before beginning. This promotes dilation of blood vessels and opening of pores in the skin; as the pores are opened the hair follicles are now softened, which prevents hair nicking, cuts, bleeding, and irritation. As you prepare the area to be shaved, hold the skin taut with one hand and shave in the direction of hair growth. If the client is prone to bleeding, like persons taking anticoagulant medications, use electric shavers instead of a safety razor.