Do You Home Launder Your Scrubs

[Stephanieoder]

Hi all,

Our hospital moved to home laundering of scrubs about 2 years ago. We currently purchase our own scrubs, wash them at home, carry them to work and change in the dressing room. Even the main OR does this.

We are changing to a rank uniform system (all RN's one color, all tech's another, etc) and we are trying to challenge the home laundering system.

Today I saw that the Assoc of Operating Room nurses strongly discourage home laundering.

I'm trying to get a feel for what the rest of the country is doing. I would really appreciate hearing what your facility does.

Thanks!

Stephanie

[Zhlake]

We wash our scrubs at home and wear the scrubs in. For C/S we wear hospital washed scrubs. We buy our own scrubs.

[ang75]

We wash our own and wear them in to work, except for OR of course. I'm glad to wash my own. At least that way they get fabric softener. Hosp washed ones are like wearing cardboard. The ones we wear in the OR are hosp washed and supplied. The other reason I like having my own is that I can wear something bright and goofy when I choose, depending on my mood.:)

[ang75]

Oh and also, our staff are divided by scrub colors defined to each area. ER is royal blue, OR purple and pale blue, NICU pink, respiratory maroon etc, etc

[z's playa]

We can't walk out of the hospital without the alarms going off. By alarms I mean 3 security guards, sitting on you while they scan your a** to see if "they"(the scrubs) belong to "them." (the hospital)

Wash them? :rotfl:

[camay1221_RN]

The hospital I used to work for had everyone in the blue, hospital wash scrubs when I started there. About four years ago, they had L&D stay in the hospital wash scrubs and PP and the NICU went to the 'color coded wash your own at home and wear them in' scrubs. The only person in NICU that wore the hospital scrubs was the charge nurse who went into deliveries with the neonatologist when they were needed. That's how it was when I left last year.

[nekhismom]

L&D wears hospital scrubs, but is changing to wash at home. No one is happy about that.

[SuzieQ_Scrapper]

Our hospital provides scrubs for our department (Birthing Center) and a few other departments (OR and some others). We change into the scrubs when we get to work, and change out of them before we leave. The hospital launders them for us. The hospital also has a policy that states they will launder any clothes that become contaminated by patient's body fluids. I like not having to worry about bringing hospital "germs" home. I also like not having to worry about being sure laundry is done before going off to work. Our scrubs are nice and soft--not stiff like another poster said theirs were.

One reason we have unifority in our scrubs is to add one more layer to our security system when it comes to protecting our babies from theft. We are not allowed to take a baby from the mother without wearing the "uniform" scrub (among other security precautions).

HTH

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

No my wife does them

[HazeK]

Currently: hospital provide scrubs...

Reality: most of us take them home and wash them ourselves because the harsh soaps they are commercially laundered in cause rashes and itching.

History: our tiniest, critical patients in NICU had their nursing staff change from hospital scrubs to 'wash at home' scrubs over 5 years ago...and they saw absolutely NO increase in their infection rates!

The future: Our unit manager is negotiating with the hospital for a clothing allowance and formal permission for us to wear and launder our own scrubs.

Personally: I like it when the RNs wear one color, techs another and housekeeping another....but I am from the "White Uniforms-white shoes-white hosiery-white hat generation"!

Hugs,

Haze :-)

PS when my mother came out of a coma, very disoriented, she knew she was safe when she talked with the lady in the white dress and nurses' hat...

I still feel we acted more professionally when we looked more professional!