Parade Magazine's Ask Marilyn column - is this crazy or am I overreacting?

Lukestar · May 22, 2005

the ask marilyn column in today's parade magazine has a question from a reader in boston. i couldn't find an online link, so i will type it here-
q. a question has been bothering me ever since i moved to a city that is home to some of the finest hospitals in the world. when i use public transportation, i see people wearing scrub suits to work. is this acceptable? i had thought employees were supposed to change into scrubs provided at the hospital in order to leave outside germs at the door.andrea southworth, boston, ma
a. you're right. i've noticed the same phenomenon in other cities too. if those people are hospital employees, they are endangering patients and should be reported to hospital authorities. another growing problem is scrubs being stolen and worn in other places (such as the subway) to convey an impression of respectability. anyone seen wearing scrubs outside an appropriate environment should be regarded with caution.
as if we didn't have enough problems with image. now if i stop at the market on my way home from work, i should be regarded with caution????
i know the theory behind the question, and it would be logical but none of the hospitals i ever worked for ever provided scrubs outside of ob or or. better report me to the authorities.
am i over-reacting?

what most of the general public doesn't understand is that there happens to be as many germs inside the hospital as anywhere else. besides that, not every person wearing a pair of scrubs these days works in a hospital or even in health care.

MissJoRN, RN · May 22, 2005

What most of the general public doesn't understand is that there happens to be as many germs inside the hospital as anywhere else. Besides that, not every person wearing a pair of scrubs these days works in a hospital or even in health care.

I believe that was her point- some people in scrubs on the street are not health care workers, it would be very lacking in judgement to accept "help" etc from someone just based on the fact that they are wearing scrubs. I think that's what she meant as caution. We remind our teenage daughters not to pull over unthinkingly for unmarked police cars, but we're not misaligning true police professionals when we use that caution, are we?

Otherwise a bit ignorent- "scrubs" means different things to differnt people. Nurses need to use subaways, too. It's not like we can teleport, and we're way beyond the days of nurse's halls for the poor spinter aunts who work in hospitals :) At the same time- I hate seeing people in hospital attire handing produce at the grocery store. I know where that shirt may have been :chuckle

capgirl · May 22, 2005

because at the end of a 12 hour day of being overworked, understaffed, disrespected and desperately hungry since I worked through lunch (overdue to get a bathroom break also) I should be regarded with caution!

Katnip, RN · May 22, 2005

I guess if the goal is to leave outside germs at the door, then doctors can't get in wearing street clothes and patients shouldn't be allowed to have visitors.

allnurses Guide · May 22, 2005

I guess if the goal is to leave outside germs at the door, then doctors can't get in wearing street clothes and patients shouldn't be allowed to have visitors.

That is a great point.

I did however go to a sandwhich shop the other day and saw an RN there in scrubs . . he was on his way to work though.

Sometimes we get pretty "germy" at work - I'd be careful about wearing those scrubs in public.

steph

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 22, 2005

because at the end of a 12 hour day of being overworked, understaffed, disrespected and desperately hungry since I worked through lunch (overdue to get a bathroom break also) I should be regarded with caution!

L :rotfl:

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 22, 2005

I realize she has the highest IQ in the world, but I don't see how wearing scrubs on a subway on the way to work endangers the patients.

I'm sure someone will set her straight on this. I hope she's humble enough to admit she might be wrong.

What about endangering the nurses. If those scrubs are too germy to be worn in public, why is it acceptable for us to wear them in the hallways of the hospital or on our bodies?

allnurses Guide · May 22, 2005

I realize she has the highest IQ in the world, but I don't see how wearing scrubs on a subway on the way to work endangers the patients.
I'm sure someone will set her straight on this. I hope she's humble enough to admit she might be wrong.
What about endangering the nurses. If those scrubs are too germy to be worn in public, why is it acceptable for us to wear them in the hallways of the hospital or on our bodies?

Well, as an example, yesterday I was involved in a messy code at the end of my shift. After work I had to go grocery shopping and completely zoned on the fact that I had been in a messy code until I got home and changed my clothes.

Now, do you really want someone in the produce section of your local supermarket with those kinds of scrubs on?

One of the nurses here takes off his shoes after work and puts them in his trunk, where they stay until he works again. He has other shoes that he wears home. He changes clothes in the garage by the washing machine before going into the house.

I've done that too . . .headed straight to the basement and washing machine and changed before I went into the house. And I leave my shoes outside.

I think the danger is from nurses wearing scrubs out in public AFTER work, not to work.

Although I did go to a legal nurse seminar years ago where we were advised not to wear our uniform in public because then we are identified as a medical person and in a public emergency could be held liable if we didn't respond .. . even with the good sam laws.

steph

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · May 22, 2005

Should we change out to scrubs when we get to work and take them off at end of shift???

Why of course we should!!!!!!!!!!

Now Marilyn should ask why many of those highly ranked facilities do not:

A. Provide hospital scrubs, the oh so sanitary answer.

B. Provide a place for us to store our clean scrubs from home.

C. Provide a private locker for our home clothes.

D. Provide a changing room...and heck, showers so that we can remove those germs before we head out into the public eye.

E. Bar makeup, unapproved fragrances, jewelry and artificial nails. (Nothing like those lovely comments, "But Carolina, you look oh so much nicer and more PROFESSIONAL with makeup on")

F. I just know a waddled up pair of scrubs in my bag on the EL/Bus, is going to look so good when I put them on at my destination.

Quite frankly as an Onco/BMT nurse, you would think that some of these options would be provided....But NOOOOOOOO.

talaxandra · May 22, 2005

Now Marilyn should ask why many of those highly ranked facilities do not:
A. Provide hospital scrubs, the oh so sanitary answer.
B. Provide a place for us to store our clean scrubs from home.
C. Provide a private locker for our home clothes.
D. Provide a changing room...and heck, showers so that we can remove those germs before we head out into the public eye.
E. Bar makeup, unapproved fragrances, jewelry and artificial nails.

F. Provide time before and after work to change

G. Provide a laundering service

I take my work shoes off the second I hit home, because I know what I may have walked in (one can't count on the quality of floor cleaning, even when it looks okay :)), and I wash/store my work clothes separately from my actual clothes.

Back in the day my hospital actually did provide change rooms, lockers, showers, uniforms and laundry service for nursing staff, but those days are long gone.

capgirl · May 22, 2005

d. provide a changing room...and heck, showers so that we can remove those germs before we head out into the public eye.

omg when you put it that way - eeeek - i would never shower at work! i have seen the way they are cleaned !!! :chuckle lol