The nurse is bathing a patient and notices movement in the patient's hair.The nurse should

A) Ignore the movement and continue.
B) Use gloves or a tongue blade to inspect the hair.
C) Examine the hair without gloves to make picking lice easier.
D) Shave the hair off of the patient's head.

In community health and home care settings,it is particularly important to inspect the hair for lice so that appropriate hygienic treatment can be provided.Suspicions cannot be ignored.If pediculosis capitis (head lice)is suspected,the nurse must protect himself or herself against self-infestations by hand hygiene and by using gloves or tongue blades to inspect the patient's hair.Shaving hair off affected areas is the treatment for pediculosis pubis (crab lice)and is rarely used for head lice.