wearing scrubs out in town?

[Imissthefall]

Is there a standard for wearing scrubs out in town? I was reading that nurses have lockers in the hospital to change. I was at the store yesterday and there was a lady in scrubs behind me, we gotto talking about nurisng and she worked in L & D and was in her scrubs. I'm not saying that it is wrong or anything, I was just wondering if you can or if you should not do that?

[Melina]

You must get *really* hot! Our hospital keeps the temp on the floor really warm; I would be a puddle of sweat in a few hours.

~Mel'

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

I saw a study recently that showed that while nurses do carry a good bit of bacteria on their clothes after work, teachers and daycare workers had incredible amounts of germs on them. I believe doctors came in 2nd. Do you ever see teachers changing clothes before going out? Sometimes I'm so pressed for time that I have to shop after work. You shouldn't be getting all those germs on you, that's what PPE is for, people..... wear it. I drop my shoes at the porch, and go in and shower right away once I get home from work. I work NICU, so I come from a pretty clean environment compared to adult units. Ugh... every time I grab a door handle out in public I wonder how many people with community-acquired MRSA have grabbed it before me.... Makes me shudder to think...

[Melina]

I would think the hospital were you work would have a policy. I know @ my hospital, certain units (OR, L&D, etc.) have to change at work, so Occ Health must feel the risk is low from other units.

Do you ever see teachers changing clothes before going out?

I agree. My kids get every germ in the world at school, and I'm sure many teachers, and most of the kids, never wash their hands during the day.

~Mel'

[I_am_Julia]

i don't think it's a huge issue. if you are making a run before or after work it's certainly no problem. also, just because one has on scrubs doesn't make them a health care worker. they could have gotten them from anywhere.

is there a standard for wearing scrubs out in town? i was reading that nurses have lockers in the hospital to change. i was at the store yesterday and there was a lady in scrubs behind me, we gotto talking about nurisng and she worked in l & d and was in her scrubs. i'm not saying that it is wrong or anything, i was just wondering if you can or if you should not do that?

[NeosynephRN]

How do you all know these people you see are getting off work?? I used to stop by the store on my WAY to work to pick up lunch in my scrubs...very rarely...but I did...so it was not like my scrubs were dirty...I worked 2nd shift..so maybe seeing me in there at 2:30pm would lead people to believe I was done with my day?!

The elevator buttons in the hospitals freak me out, in the amount of germs that are probably hanging out there... way more than someone in scrubs...JMO!!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I have one word for wearing scrubs out in public after being in a healthcare environment all day: EEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

[Beeanurse]

While working as a GN, everyone wore scrubs. We can't wear all black, that is the only rule. I would bring a change of clothes to work because I drove an hour. I didn't like the thought of sitting in the car for an hour, after working with patients on vents, with traches, and a lot of other ewww's in my scrubs, or shoes. I would change. I think hospitals should provide locker rooms with showers, so that people could clean up before going home. Lord knows we all don't want to bring germs home. What bothers me is going into a patients room and touching the siderail, after realizing the nurse before, while doing a dressing change leaving a little something behind. The rail was gross, and unbeknownest to me I touched it. Lesson learned> Don't touch anything without gloves.

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I work nights and I run into Starbucks and the grocery at least once a week on my way to work, in my scrubs. Since I am usually at the store around 630 pm it probably looks like I came from work. I don't think changing my clothes at the hospital after my shift would change anything, the germs that are on my scrubs are on my body. I wear a gown everytime I pick up a patient (I work NICU) and gloves everytime I touch a patient. I think that I am probably cleaner after work than a daycare teacher, I know what illnesses my kids have and the precautions to use. I use hand sanitizer before and after every patient contact and wash my hands frequently in between.