Banning Crocs?

[styRN]

I am an RN in one of the largest LTC facilities in Ontario (320 beds) and I am also the infection control officer.

I have been wearing Crocs, the Professional model and the Relief model, both without top-vents, for some time now, as have many of my colleagues.

Recently, my employer announced it is undertaking a study into the infection control/health & safety aspects of Crocs in the workplace in the hopes of having them banned due to their risks of infection/transmission/injury to workers.

Does anyone have any experience with a similar undertaking at your workplace?

Are there any peer-reviewed studies on Crocs in the workplace?

My belief is that, not only are they beneficial to the health of the worker (comfort), but the inherent anti-microbial properties of the material and the ease of disinfecting the footwear far outweigh any perceived risks of infection, transmission of disease or risk of injury.

Thanks

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

Do you bleach the dishwasher after you do this? I'd hate to eat off a plate that was washed in there . . . or maybe your dishwasher has a sanitizing cycle. Mine doesn't so that is what I'm thinking.

ok - the germaphobe is finished . . .:monkeydance:

Considering the water from the dishwasher is so very hot with steam rolling out and a steamed dry cycle.........anything would die in there. If it cant clean them then I sure wouldnt be putting dishes in it either. I'm sure salmonella and numerous other things grow on dirty plates just as quickly

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Sorry - wasn't clear when I said shoes don't come in contact with nothing but the floor. What I meant was, shoes don't come in contact with pts -

I am aware of what we step in daily, and for that reason, my shoes stay at the hospital and don't come into my home. But as for shoes carrying infection from one pt to another - I just don't see how.

[LadyLurker]

our facility policy states "closed toe and closed heel shoes only" for all personnel working on the floors. no clogs of any kind. the health and safety committee agrees with this policy.

i too have had horrible pain issues with my feet... fixed with orthotic inserts for my shoes. yes, they were expensive, but my husband's workplace benefits covered the whole cost. even if they hadn't, i still would have gotten the inserts. the relief has been incredible!

i got crocs at the same time, and my inserts fit into the crocs... :) ... but they are my casual-running-around shoes, not for work.

karen

ladylurker

[kate1969]

I work in an LTAC and this is my belief

"crocs..with holes, without holes, tennis shoes, steel toed boots...what's the diff!" I work in an LTAC and I figure this, I probably have every germ known to man and its not because I don't take every precaution, I do, however, when push comes to shove and there's a nuclear war, the only thing left on this earth alive will be the cockroaches and ME!! hehe

we have those plastic needled syringes and they suck, I'm an RT and occasionally I have to use a syringe to draw up Gent for neb therapy, I don't care who y'ar, you can't successfully draw up the second vial...you always end up pushing too hard, pushing the rubber stopper thingy up into the vial and all the Gent leaks out onto your gloved hand and your scrub jacket...

so, I guess all the germs on me are now being killed by the Gent I've just poored all over myself...LOL

It just doesn't matter...LOL

maybe I should just dump that second vial onto my crocks and socks...LOL

sorry, I have a warped sense of humor

[kdmmomRN]

I gotta have my Crocs! I have wore all kinds of shoes and nothing compares to these! After being on my feet all day.. my feet don't hurt. With all the other footwear, my feet always hurt. As for a needle dropping and hitting in one of those holes...what are the odds? If you know you will be working around a lot of blood(trauma, injuries, IV starts...etc), wear shoe covers. As for those "things" you can put in the holes...that can be another option. I have had shoes without the vents....lets just say...I Have to have the vents! Thank goodness our facility hasn't banned them..but I could see it happen.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I was told in hospital orientation about 6 or 7 months ago that we were not allowed to wear the Crocs, particularly the ones with the holes in the top. The ban had something to do with dropping needles into the holes :confused:

Dropping needes into the holes? They're not that big. I hope your administrators at your place don't make silly judgements like that for every issue.

[mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP]

Look at these new Crocs....

Nothing would get through these bad boys!!!!!

[Suninmyheart]

Look at these new Crocs....

Nothing would get through these bad boys!!!!!

:roll

Hilarious!!!

[barbyann]

Just wondering how many committees have been formed to discuss the Crocs issue, LMAO!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

has been known to see zippy wearing his steel toes magnums with usinform in hospital, usual to see zippy in steel toe magnums in the pre-hospital setting

huh???!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I was thrown up on while wearing holey crocs and it was the fastest and easiest clean up job ever. Rinse, disinfect with spray, trade socks for hospital slippers and move on. If I had been wearing another shoe the puke would have soaked in and I would have had to throw out the shoe, plus walk the rest of the shift barefoot or feeling like I was carrying the funk around on my feet.

I would like to point out that if you have a liquid soaking through the holes what are the chances that the liquid has only hit the toe area- probably your whole foot and ankle are involved anyway. So the holes/no holes debate doesn't seem to be worth the debate it's gotten in the admin offices.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Look at these new Crocs....

Nothing would get through these bad boys!!!!!

Think I would love those for beach walking and clam digging here in WA.

I am one of the "odd balls" (yes in more ways than one). I don't think clogs belong in clinical areas where body fluids/blood splashes are common. (like in OB where I work.) NO WAY would I wear such shoes in the OR or in a delivery room! And clogs with holes? Bad news to me.

Personally I wear all over covering athletic shoes and shoe covers. Stylish? No, but definately protected and no need for changes in the case of spills or other such things (except for the disposable shoe covers of course). The shoe covers look so godawful nasty when I remove them, I am convinced that crocs dont' belong where I work. I wear gloves just to remove those shoe covers, blech.

But do I think administrators have bigger fish to fry? CLEARLY YES!

Hey it's only my opinion.