Medical Workers wearing scrubs to and from work, outside the Hospital, etc..

Nurses General Nursing

Published

New York Daily News

Tuesday Oct. 17th 2006

-Barbara M. Simpson writes:

"MEDICAL WORKERS NEED TO CHANGE

I have bben wondering if there is now a rule that persons who work in the medical field, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. can wear their uniforms in the streets, on the buses and on the trains.

Aren't they required to wear regular clothes to work and then change to their uniforms and change back after they have completed their tour of duty?

Every day you see white uniforms, blue uniforms [scrubs] in the post office, in the stores, in the banks, in restaurants, on the streets. That kind of behavior is unsanitary."

I happen to agree, what do you guys think? I admit, I've been guilty of this as a student, after following the lead of my health care profession colleagues. But I realize I was wrong in doing so, & I'm willing to change. I always see scrubs on the trains, and we were taught in school to change once we get to the hospital & when we leave. Why do many of us do it? I believe we can do better as health care professionals.

I watched as a doctor removed a bandage on an abdominal incision, then leaned forward to inspect something. His tie swept across the length of the incision. The next time I showed up on the floor, that patient's incision was infected with MRSA.

Now, I'm not saying the tie did it, who knows? But after it trouched that incision, did he take it off? Or did he wear it home, hug his wife and kids, go out to dinner or....? :( Doesn't make him any cleaner than someone wearing their scrubs home.

I don't think doctors should wear ties for that very reason

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What about visitors too? All people who are going to come in and visit patients must bring a change of clothes before they go out into general public and spread germs to people.

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I don't work in a healthcare environment yet and I wear scrubs alot as I have no "civilian" clothes. I started eating my way out of clothes Med/surg semester and am just starting WW to lose those M&M's I found while studying!

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I would touch anything in a hospital before I would touch anything in a public bathroom!

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hi

for me the changing room is for away from my unit hence i feel so tiered of goin there especially after work.so it s merely conveniece i feel.Still it should not affence public by smell of meds.

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Specializes in ICU/Telemetry/Med-Surg/Case Mgmt.

I would imagine that my scrubs after my worst shift would have less germs on them than the handle of a Wal Mart shopping cart!!

And, with regards to the kids and the floor, how many times have you seen someone wearing the stained shirt and pajama bottoms and slippers coming to visit someone and their toddler walking around barefoot!

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Scrubs are available at Wal-Mart, and even uniform shops don't require you to produce a valid nursing license to by them.:chuckle People need to realize that just because they see someone in public wearing scrubs, doesn't mean that person works in a hospital etc. That being said, I currently work in a cath lab, which means I wear street clothes to work and change into those plain blue scrubs when I get to work. My work shoes stay in my locker. When I worked on the telemetry unit, I would occasionally stop by the grocery store real quick on the way home and of course day care to pick up my girls daily (wearing my work scrubs). I wouldn't run errands in my scrubs unless I absolutely had to, just because I felt uncomfortable. If nothing else, I would rather people not know I was a nurse when I'm on "my time." What if I inadvertently do something that would reflect badly on nurses in general or my hospital? Anyway, I've personally gotten sick from stuff the girls bring home from day care more than anything I've encountered in the hospital. Talk about your germ factories!!:eek:

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Specializes in ortho/neuro/general surgery.
Oh for the love of pete. Another way for people to yammer about our clothes. OOh, we should wear white. Ooh, we should not wear scrubs in public. I wish the media would get that doggone excited over our ratios and leave our dogflabbit clothes alone!

Your post gave me a much-needed laugh and I totally agree!

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I had microbiology after work one day. It was the first class, and the expirement was to check the bacteria growth of certain objects. We did the bathroom, our finger, etc. I also did my uniform scrub, right above the pocket.

My instructor said that we should get about 4-6 different bacteria on the plate. I had at least 10. Or more. It was more than the toilet seat and door handle. He said that he does not trust hospital workers clothing anymore...

The world is a dirty dirty place, and unless you have microscope eyes, or swab and culture everything all the time, you have no idea what you are touching. So I think it is out of line to point out hospital workers. And riding the bus or train?? If anyone knew what they were sitting on or touching would want to wear disposable plastic ponchos everytime they rode public transportation. Best not to think about...

Anyways, at first I wanted to change before I come home from work, but there is no place to do so-too complicated. I do not think it is a big deal, considering all of the germs out in the world. I take my uniform off when I get home and put it in the hamper. I also try to cavi wipe or lysol the bottoms of my shoes before I leave or at least before I put the shoes down in my house.

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What about visitors too? All people who are going to come in and visit patients must bring a change of clothes before they go out into general public and spread germs to people.

I was just going to say this :) It's true, if nurses and doctors are guilty, so are visitors! I am not a nurse (pre-nursing student.) but if I ever go and visit someone in the hospital, I do not bring a change of clothes. I wash my hands, but I definitely do not change on my way out, and I do not know anyone that does..

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Specializes in Float.

Interesting topic! As I'm sitting here trying to get over a nasty cold that yes I caught from my KIDS lol... I realize I never am the first one to get sick in my family. So it's not ME catching stuff from pts passing it on to the family..it's the OTHER way around lol. And yes I think most of our illnesses are from Walmart shopping carts! I keep intending to wipe the handle with a disinfecting wipe during shopping trips. I noticed last time I was in Kroger they provide a container of wipes and a bucket to toss your dirty wipe. I think Walmart should institute this policy!!

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Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

Ok its been exactly 7 days since I went to the dentist to have a temp tooth fitted. Since then I have been battling the WORST cold I have ever had.

Nose will not stop running, throat hurts to swallow, ears popping.

So..... Did I pick this up from: A) The grocery store

B) My work place that I have been working in for a while now with no ill affects.

C) THE DENTIST OFFICE.

Obviously you can tell where I think I got it from, they slapped the 02 mask on me so fast I swear it had to be plugged in and out of the plastic wrapper already.

Also question the remotes for all the headphones/TV/Stereo equipment they dumped in my lap.

End result is: Who knows where we pick germs up, but I promise when I go to the grocery store after work I will not roll the produce up and down my body anymore.

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