Everyone wears scrubs!

HazelLPN, LPN · Jan 5, 2011

Nobody "earns" scrubs. You earn you cap and your pin, but not your scrubs. I have no issue with anyone wearing scrubs, but I would take great issue with someone who isn't an RN or LPN wearing a nursing pin or nursing cap. That would be false identification.

jjjoy, LPN · Jan 5, 2011

How many nurses actually wear nursing pins or caps? If someone were wearing a nursing pin, I doubt anyone else would know what it represented or care if you had actually earned it yourself or not.

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 6, 2011

I wonder if surgical staff had this same discussion when their scrubs...origin being for "scrubbing in"... extended out of the operating room to the rest of the hospital staff!? I guess I took it for granted that at my facility ALL employees are required to wear a picture name badge with their job title as the standard across the entire country. Then again, like I've come to realize reading posts on this site, an awful lot of us assume if that's the way it is at our facility, it's the same everywere.

Scrubbing in most likely came from the long heavy duty hand,forearm, under fingernails, washing done before an an operation with small brushes. Such brushes then and still do resemble those used for scrubbing floors, laundry and other housework.

Scrub attire came later, as for much of early hospital history, doctors and nurses simply covered whatever street clothing/uniform they were wearing with a gown.

Scub envy was a term given to the supposed lust floor nurses had for wearing the forbidden garments whist on duty. At that time only nurses working the units, OR, L&D and perhaps maternity were allowed to wear scrubs, which set them apart from the starched whites and cap crowd in the cafeteria.

Kim5/08 · Jan 7, 2011

Scrubbing in most likely came from the long heavy duty hand,forearm, under fingernails, washing done before an an operation with small brushes. Such brushes then and still do resemble those used for scrubbing floors, laundry and other housework.
Scrub attire came later, as for much of early hospital history, doctors and nurses simply covered whatever street clothing/uniform they were wearing with a gown.
Scub envy was a term given to the supposed lust floor nurses had for wearing the forbidden garments whist on duty. At that time only nurses working the units, OR, L&D and perhaps maternity were allowed to wear scrubs, which set them apart from the starched whites and cap crowd in the cafeteria.

That is where the term "scrubbing in" was coined, however, the term "scrubs" finds it's origin in the late 1960's to early 70's where surgical greens were soon referred to as scrubs (and were no longer just green) as they were worn by staff that scrubbed in. These were short-sleeved V neck shirts and drawstring pants (typically for the men) and calf-lengthed dresses (hopefully for women :lol2: ) So at this time, even most women did not wear drawstring pants. Since that time, scrubs have continued to evolve and become universally used through-out the medical community. Prior to that, in the 1950's and early-mid 60's the color of choice was white as it was thought it placed emphasis on cleanliness and sterility. This gave way to green because research showed it reduced eye-strain in the "surgical theatre"(European origin). Even at this time, it was most typical to see nurses wearing the white cap and dress. Women wearing pants was still considered quite a novelty, even in the OR or surgical theatre. Scrub envy, as explained by my great aunt, was what the floor nurses felt when they (in dresses) saw the scrub nurses (in drawstring pants..again ) that they wanted to wear! She says it's the fact that they were wearing PANTS :lol2: , oh how brave they were!!

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 8, 2011

That is where the term "scrubbing in" was coined, however, the term "scrubs" finds it's origin in the late 1960's to early 70's where surgical greens were soon referred to as scrubs (and were no longer just green) as they were worn by staff that scrubbed in. These were short-sleeved V neck shirts and drawstring pants (typically for the men) and calf-lengthed dresses (hopefully for women ) So at this time, even most women did not wear drawstring pants. Since that time, scrubs have continued to evolve and become universally used through-out the medical community. Prior to that, in the 1950's and early-mid 60's the color of choice was white as it was thought it placed emphasis on cleanliness and sterility. This gave way to green because research showed it reduced eye-strain in the "surgical theatre"(European origin). Even at this time, it was most typical to see nurses wearing the white cap and dress. Women wearing pants was still considered quite a novelty, even in the OR or surgical theatre. Scrub envy, as explained by my great aunt, was what the floor nurses felt when they (in dresses) saw the scrub nurses (in drawstring pants..again ) that they wanted to wear! She says it's the fact that they were wearing PANTS , oh how brave they were!!

Female nurses would *still* be in scrub dresses (OR, L&D, Maternity & Units) were it not for several factors.

One, court rulings and subsequent laws forbid gender based uniforms/work attire unless there is a *very* good reason. There was a time when women were forbidden by dress code from wearing pants, slacks or any other sort of trousers to work and even many colleges/universities. Once such restrictions were banned, there was little hospitals could do to deny female nurses from not only wearing scrub tops with pants, but allowing the various "pant-suits" or separates that cropped up starting around the 1960's or 1970's.

However until the "scrub craze" took over around the 1980's most hospitals outright forbade any nurse not working on a unit/floor where such were required from wearing scrubs. The old party line went "you might be mistaken for a doctor". If one's uniform got soiled first line of defense was to wear an isolation gown to cover. If that was not possible, you were asked if someone could bring another uniform for you to change into. Or, if one lived really close (say at the nurse's residence), permission *might* be granted for you to run home and change. Finally if all else failed request went up the ranks to obtain permission for you to ditch the soiled whites (and possibly cap), and wear scrubs.

Far as the OR, and one assumes trickled down to the units and other floors, AORN took a position decades ago that dresses or skirts in surgery permitted *ahem* body dust (and god only knows what else), to become airborne as woman moved about. To counter this today many hospitals will allow female nurses to wear scrub dresses if they wish for religous or other reasons, but heavy panty-hose, or some sort of leg covering must be worn underneath.

Some "old time" nurses have remarked they hated wearing scrub dresses because often work in the OR involved searching for something under a table, or reaching/standing up high to adjust lights, and well, it just wasn't "lady-like". Guess they felt they were giving the world a show.

Considering how cold some ORs were and some still are, can only imagine how chilly it must have been/is running around in a dress, even with a gown over.

As for scrub envy, who wouldn't? I mean there you are in the cafeteria or some other place in your starched whites and cap, looking like something out of a Cherry Ames novel, and strolling in comes this group of nurses in nice comfy scrubs. By the very nature they are the only nurses in the place *not* in whites aside from perhaps senior management and the DON, makes them stand out and thus could be considered special.

Speaking of Europe, if you ever want to see blinding white scrub uniforms, Germany is the place. Most are issued by the hospital and not worn to and from duty. Doctors and nurses change upon arriving and leaving duty, but the hospital does the laundering and am here to tell you they are so white you need sun glasses.

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Jan 12, 2011

As a guy, I challenge the assertion that scrubs are comfortable and that they look professional. If you want me to look professional, make me wear a shirt with a collar, like a polo shirt. If you want me to be comfortable, recognize that I don't have hips to hang scrub pants on and let me wear slacks or EMS pants - something I can wear a belt with.

Music in My Heart · Jan 12, 2011

As a guy, I challenge the assertion that scrubs are comfortable and that they look professional. If you want me to look professional, make me wear a shirt with a collar, like a polo shirt. If you want me to be comfortable, recognize that I don't have hips to hang scrub pants on and let me wear slacks or EMS pants - something I can wear a belt with.

Amen, brother.

I finally ditched my scrub bottoms altogether in favor of regular pants. I was going to go with EMS pants but found black cargo pants at Costco for $16/ea and they fit the bill nicely. Nice, thick fabric, a cut that actually fits me, a functional fly, and belt loops.

I'm staying with the scrub shirts until I can find something better... perhaps a button-up shirt like the medics wear.

Start2 · Jan 12, 2011

When I first started in nursing years ago, I had the opportunity to go into the operating room to observe as a student nurse. I loved being able to dress in scrubs, shoe and hair covers instead of our starched white dresses and caps.

While I was in the operating room, the surgeon's pants slid to the floor and the circulating nurse motioned me forward. I bent down, picked up his scrub pants, slid them up and held them in place while he finished the operation. He never missed a beat and did say thank you to me after we both left the operating room.

As a nurse, I later worked psych wards as well as Med/Surg. On the psych wards we were required to wear street clothes. That meant keeping extra clothes in my locker in case I was pulled from one to the other.

Now I see scrubs everywhere and they seem very practical to me.

JMHO

DoGoodThenGo · Jan 12, 2011

As a guy, I challenge the assertion that scrubs are comfortable and that they look professional. If you want me to look professional, make me wear a shirt with a collar, like a polo shirt. If you want me to be comfortable, recognize that I don't have hips to hang scrub pants on and let me wear slacks or EMS pants - something I can wear a belt with.

Well yes, will give you that; but coming from the female side of nursing, scrubs are probably by far more comfortable than historically what was on offer.

Nurses uniforms tended to follow fashions, which at one time gave us everthing from full skirts to mini skirts. Then there is the fact the female figure comes in numerous shapes/sizes, and the required under garments for modesty, protection, and or to shape/form.

Either way as the practice of nursing became more physically active, the first thing to go was aprons/pinafores, starched whites, caps and finally in most instances structured uniforms all together. Barco, White Swan and others have tons of patterns in their archives for both female and male nursing uniforms. They also could invest R&D into making more of the same, but the market is now almost totally dominated by scrubs, so that reflects mainly in what one sees.

Even student nurses, the last hold out for "formal" uniforms (many still included bibs/aprons/pinafores, long after anyone else stopped wearing them), mainly are in scrubs. This along with the above has pretty much put all but a few large players in the uniform market out of business.

jjjoy, LPN · Jan 12, 2011

I don't like drawstrings or elastic waists for work. Drawstrings are just a pain and elastic can start to sag once the pockets start filling up. For a nurse who needs to carry lots of supplies around, I can see how some cargo style pants could be preferred.

kmeg07 · Jan 29, 2012

I am under the impression (maybe I am mistaken) that the purpose of the scrubs is to look somewhat "uniform" as a staff and to be even more sanitary. I'm studying to be a nurse but my only job now is to scribe for the doctor. It includes me following the doctor everywhere he goes and always being at his side whether it is in a regular exam room or trauma. The coworkers that have the same job as me have to follow every sanitary procedure everyone else does but are no longer allowed to wear scrubs because nurses were complaining it wasn't fair. Fair?? Its unfair to be just as sanitary because I haven't completed school yet? I find it annoying to not be able to wear them because I'm just as close to the patient projectile vomiting as the nurse standing next to me. It would be nice to wear something that is more stain resistant, less likely to retain as much bacteria, and easier to clean than regular clothes. If the worry is that a patient will mistake your position and specific job title... no worries, because everyone has a security badge slapped right on the middle of their chest with their title in bold capital letters. I'm not wearing scrubs and patient's still mistake what my job entails. To a certain point, it isn't a workers fault that people make assumptions or don't bother to look at a badge right in front of them.

I have to say it is kind of odd about the walmart workers because they are not as at risk of coming into contact with certain things as much as a worker would in a medical facility.

TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP · Jan 29, 2012

I am under the impression (maybe I am mistaken) that the purpose of the scrubs is to look somewhat "uniform" as a staff and to be even more sanitary. I'm studying to be a nurse but my only job now is to scribe for the doctor. It includes me following the doctor everywhere he goes and always being at his side whether it is in a regular exam room or trauma. The coworkers that have the same job as me have to follow every sanitary procedure everyone else does but are no longer allowed to wear scrubs because nurses were complaining it wasn't fair. Fair?? Its unfair to be just as sanitary because I haven't completed school yet? I find it annoying to not be able to wear them because I'm just as close to the patient projectile vomiting as the nurse standing next to me. It would be nice to wear something that is more stain resistant, less likely to retain as much bacteria, and easier to clean than regular clothes. If the worry is that a patient will mistake your position and specific job title... no worries, because everyone has a security badge slapped right on the middle of their chest with their title in bold capital letters. I'm not wearing scrubs and patient's still mistake what my job entails. To a certain point, it isn't a workers fault that people make assumptions or don't bother to look at a badge right in front of them.
I have to say it is kind of odd about the walmart workers because they are not as at risk of coming into contact with certain things as much as a worker would in a medical facility.

Were you wearing hospital-issue surgical scrubs that you wore for only one shift before giving back to the hospital for laundering? I'm guessing you weren't, and thus were doing jack for sanitation. The nurses' argument is silly, but considering the ubiquity of scrubs in places they don't really belong, so is your argument.