Hair for You: Enhancing Nursing Practice Through Comprehensive Hair and Scalp Care

Hair For You is a nurse-led initiative, developed at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., to advance inclusive, evidence-informed scalp and hair care across healthcare settings. Created through collaboration among nurses and interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, the program was designed to address longstanding gaps in education and clinical preparation related to caring for individuals with diverse hair types, textures, and scalp needs. By promoting awareness, knowledge, and culturally responsive care practices, Hair For You education seeks to support equitable, person-centered care and improve the healthcare experience for all patients.

This research study evaluates the impact of the Hair For You educational module on healthcare professionals' knowledge and confidence in providing scalp and hair care to individuals with a wide variety of hair types and textures. Participants will complete a pre-course assessment, engage in the educational module, and then complete a post-course assessment to measure changes in knowledge and self-reported comfort with scalp and hair assessment and care. Findings from this study will help determine whether targeted education can enhance clinician preparedness and support more inclusive, respectful, and informed care across healthcare settings.

Continuing education (CE) credit is available through July 31, 2029.

To learn more about the Hair For You program, including its framework and implementation resources, visit Hair For You | Children's National Hospital

Note: Registration for this course includes enrollment in a research study and completion of a brief eligibility verification. Continue by selecting the "Register" tab.

Acknowledgement of Financial and In-Kind Commercial Support 

No financial or in-kind commercial support was received for this educational activity. 

Target Audience

  • Registered Nurse (RN)
  • Licensed practical nurse / licensed vocational nurse (LPN/LVN)
  • Certified nursing assistant (CNA) / patient care technician (PCT)
  • Nursing student
  • Nursing faculty
  • Other direct care/support role

Learning Objectives

These objectives describe the knowledge, skills, and concepts participants will gain through completion of the educational module.

  1. Understand the historical and personal significance of hair and its role in professional nursing practice
  2. Establish practice competency for: 
    • Scalp and hair assessment
    • Hair care
  3. Improve patient respect and experience through comprehensive hair care.

Study Specific Learning Objectives

These objectives focus on the aims of the research study and what participants will learn or contribute as part of the study component.

  1. Primary Objective: To evaluate whether completion of the Hair For You education competency improves participants’ knowledge related to scalp/hair assessments and hair care.
  2. Secondary Objective: To evaluate whether completion of the Hair For You education competency improves participants’ confidence in providing scalp/hair assessments and hair care.

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ANCC
    Children’s National Hospital will provide 1.00 Nursing Contact Hours for this Enduring activity.
  • 1.00 Participation
    Successful completion of this continuing education activity.
Course opens: 
08/10/2026
Course expires: 
07/31/2029
Rating: 
0

The study team has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

In support of improving patient care, Children's National Hospital is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Children’s National Hospital Accreditation Provider# 4008362.

Credit Designation Statement

Nurses: Children's National Hospital designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 enduring ANCC contact hours.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ANCC
    Children’s National Hospital will provide 1.00 Nursing Contact Hours for this Enduring activity.
  • 1.00 Participation
    Successful completion of this continuing education activity.
Please login or register to take this course.

This educational activity is being offered as part of a research study evaluating the Hair For You program. To determine eligibility for study participation, you must complete the registration questions during enrollment.

Click the red "Take Course" button to begin the registration and eligibility verification process.

To be eligible for enrollment, participants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Be employed in a direct patient care role at a participating study site (e.g., registered nurse [RN], licensed practical nurse [LPN], certified nursing assistant [CNA], patient care technician [PCT], or similar role involved in providing patient hygiene or grooming care), or be a nursing faculty member or student enrolled in a School of Nursing.
  • Work in a clinical setting where patient hygiene and grooming activities occur as part of routine care.
  • Be willing and able to participate in study procedures, including completion of the pre-test assessments, educational training module, and post-test assessments.
  • Be able to read and understand English, as the training materials and assessment tools are currently available only in English.

Participants who do not meet all eligibility requirements will be unenrolled from the research study.