How come Docs don't have to wear scrubs?

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Why is it that all direct patient care persons have to wear scrubs or uniforms and doctors/NP/PA don't? If food services, having very little direct pt. contact, has to wear a uniform, why aren't doctors required as well?

is it just me or does this seem bad for infection control? esp cause they do rounds on scores of patients at a time.

Why? Do scrubs repel germs better than business casual and a labcoat? You don't change clothes between patients either way, and most people who wear scrubs wear them in from home, so what's the difference? Hospital employees don't wear scrubs for infection control (except in OR - but those scrubs are laundered by the hospital and are NOT worn outside the hospital), they wear them because they are employees and it is a uniform.

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Specializes in heme oncology, critical care.
Why? Do scrubs repel germs better than business casual and a labcoat? You don't change clothes between patients either way, and most people who wear scrubs wear them in from home, so what's the difference? Hospital employees don't wear scrubs for infection control (except in OR - but those scrubs are laundered by the hospital and are NOT worn outside the hospital), they wear them because they are employees and it is a uniform.

i was also thinking along the lines of lab coats being an infection control issue. but maybe thats because i work on a closed unit that is somewhat different than the rest of the world. we get provided with scrubs, sort of like the or, and change from our outside clothes into them before going on the unit. everyone (including docs) has to wear a yellow isolation gown before entering our unit, and those white lab coats are NOT allowed on the unit. they have to leave them at the door.

~shakira

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my plastic surgeon wears scrubs even on thursdays. thursdays are the day that he has clinic.

p.s. plastic surgeon for reconstructive surgery and tumor removal (benign) not nose job or boob job. just mentioning that because people assume those things when i say plastic surgeon.

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.

I know a few docs that when they are not in their scrubs and wearing real clothes, I have to do a double take and figure out who they are.

Agree with several posters about how docs have "privilages" and are not necessarily "employed."

To me, as long as they are wearing something and remembering to wash their hands, I am all for that.

(don't even get me started on the handwashing thing!!!)

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It does matter what a doctor wears. According to this article in the November 2005 American Journal of Medicine, patients prefer a professionally dressed doctor in a white coat.

I'd have to agree.

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It does matter what a doctor wears. According to this article in the November 2005 American Journal of Medicine, patients prefer a professionally dressed doctor in a white coat.

I'd have to agree.

I kind of like the doc in the scrubs. It is less intimidating.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
A little off track here but I was working with a Doc (some years ago now) who asked me to get the pen out of his pocket. I should have been more aware of what was going on really!!

I dove my hand in his pocket and went straight to his groin area.

He laughed so hard and I went all shades of puce!

YES he had scrubs on and decided to play a prank on me.

I should have grabbed that LITTLE thing I felt and twisted it.:angryfire

:eek::angryfire

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Specializes in LTC, med-surg, critial care.

I see docs roll up on the floor in Hawaiian shirts, shorts, sandals (mandals?), capris, one surgeon was wearing scrubs with matching flip flops.

They do it because they can.

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