OR Dress Standards

[NeuroNP]

I've observed in the OR in 3 different hospitals and the standards of dress were different in each.

The first (community) required you to wear scrubs in the OR suite (I assume that's the correct term for the hallways and other rooms around the actual Operating Room), but you only had to wear hats and masks in the actual OR (and the mask only when there was a patient with an open incision - ie, after closing, the staff would often remove their masks) and shoe covers were not required at all. In fact, the people who wore the shoe covers, were wearing them to protect their shoes, ie, if they wore clogs that they weren't concerned about getting "dirty" they didn't wear them.

The second and third were teaching hospitals. The 2nd required scrubs, hats, masks and shoe cover in the OR suite. The 3rd required that, but also required that hats, masks and shoe covers be removed when leaving the OR suite and a long lab coat be worn over scrubs outside the suite.

So, what is the standard in your facility and why the difference?

[SproutRN]

I've observed in the OR in 3 different hospitals and the standards of dress were different in each.

The first (community) required you to wear scrubs in the OR suite (I assume that's the correct term for the hallways and other rooms around the actual Operating Room), but you only had to wear hats and masks in the actual OR (and the mask only when there was a patient with an open incision - ie, after closing, the staff would often remove their masks) and shoe covers were not required at all. In fact, the people who wore the shoe covers, were wearing them to protect their shoes, ie, if they wore clogs that they weren't concerned about getting "dirty" they didn't wear them.

The second and third were teaching hospitals. The 2nd required scrubs, hats, masks and shoe cover in the OR suite. The 3rd required that, but also required that hats, masks and shoe covers be removed when leaving the OR suite and a long lab coat be worn over scrubs outside the suite.

So, what is the standard in your facility and why the difference?

I have been at 2 facilities now and both of them allow you to wear your own scrubs (cost saving for the hospital) and caps are worn across the "red line". Masks are not required in the OR until the sterile fields "open" and throughout the case until the dressing is on. Shoe covers are no longer required and neither are lab coats outside the OR suite.

The irony to me is that if you cross the red line without a hat, you will be "screamed" at, but nobody seems to care that you are dragging in the "dog poo" on your shoes to the sterile world??? Figure that out, I mean, come on I washed my hair this morning?! :chuckle

Sprout

[cadillac05]

which accounts for some of the differences. As a former traveler, I've been in quite a few ORs, each with its own way of doing things. Scrubs or 'bunny suits' that cover street clothes are always required within the "red line", as are some kind of hair covering (to minimize contamination from shedding hair). Masks are worn in rooms where the sterile field has been opened thru application of dressing. Though there have been studies that suggest masks are unnecessary/ineffective, I doubt if any facility has moved to not requiring them. AORN recommendations have changed through the years, but hospital policies/sacred cow mentality are sometimes slow to catch up. :zzzzz Staff attitudes are a significant factor, too, in what is acceptable in any given facility. Consequently, you will see a wide variety of practices.

[skipaway]

Shoe covers are no longer required and neither are lab coats outside the OR suite.

The irony to me is that if you cross the red line without a hat, you will be "screamed" at, but nobody seems to care that you are dragging in the "dog poo" on your shoes to the sterile world??? Figure that out, I mean, come on I washed my hair this morning?! :chuckle

Sprout

we don't wear shoe covers either but we are required to have dedicated OR shoes so just such a problem does not occur