Give me your view now plz!!

HealthShepherd · Apr 23, 2009

It seems to me that you're more likely to spread an infection going from one patient room to another than going from the hospital to the outside, because the patients are more vulnerable than the average person, and because the germs would be "fresher" on your person.

So, unless you're changing into a clean uniform every time you go into another patient's room, changing your clothes before going from the hospital to outside seems a little quixotic.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Apr 23, 2009

Oh please...my scrubs are cleaner than the clothes of most of the patient's I see, and that's even after my 10 hour shift. Face it, the pathogens we most hear about are all ready in the community cess pool. That being said, I'm not "the public" so I'm sure they will disagree because they heard it from their brother's wife's neighbor's cousin's friend that nurses in scrubs are polluting the environment.
For your reading enjoyment
https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/wearing-scrubs-public-105850.html

Yup yup.

I think people are paranoid. Your average person carries around more pathogens than my scrubs do, IMO.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 23, 2009

given the limited knowledge the 'public' has on exactly what we as nurses do, i don't particularly care what they think about this issue.
harsh? perhaps....
but until i see 100% compliance of handwashing after public bathroom use, handwashing after sneezing/picking noses then touching grocery carts/ door handles.....then the public can scrutinize my scrub wearing.

or even more than 50% compliance . . . .

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Apr 23, 2009

Given the limited knowledge the 'public' has on exactly what we as nurses do, I don't particularly care what they think about this issue.
Harsh? perhaps....
But until I see 100% compliance of handwashing after public bathroom use, handwashing after sneezing/picking noses then touching grocery carts/ door handles.....then the public can scrutinize my scrub wearing.

:clphnds::clphnds::clphnds::yeahthat:

(And this is from someone who doesn't wear scrubs in public, EVER.)

Suz_808 · Apr 23, 2009

I've never seen that the public really cares and I will wear my scrubs to the grocery store or whatever on the way home, because I do take all the appropriate precautions at work. Like I don't want any of that stuff on ME if I can avoid it. That said....my shoes never go in the house, they stay in the trunk of my car/garage and I do change as soon as I get home before I am getting kid and hubby hugs. I was more paranoid about it when my kids were little though because they would be crawling all over me and I changed before I came inside the house. I am not one to go around hugging the general public so I just don't think thats an issue.

GaMBA · Apr 23, 2009

Ditto what Suz 808 said (minus the hubby part :-)

Shoes off at the door, change clothes asap once in the house. I've got a 2-yr-old and I think my shoes are probably infinitely more gross than my scrubs could ever be. And I thought that before I even started working at the hospital!