personal scrubs in OR

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Hello all!

Our OR manager just announced that soon we will no longer have hospital issued OR scrubs. We will buy our own scrubs and wear them into work. Does anyone else do this now? How has it worked out? I have worked in the OR for 11 years and have always worn hospital scrubs at each place I have worked. It just seems strange to me, and sort of gross having to take our blood & betadine splashed scrubs home and wash them.

What ever happened to scrubs are supposed to be washed at a certain temperature? I guess infection control rules are changing?

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

:confused:

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I work in OB and we do our own C-sections. I've

been laundering my own scrubs for the last five years

since our hospital stopped providing the scrubs for us.

So far there has been no issues with infection control.

I actually like being in charge of my own scrub choices

because I don't have to wear ugly green or drab blue.

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Specializes in surgical, emergency.

As a cost saving measure, a couple of years ago, our manager pitched the idea of eliminating the nursing staff scrubs. You notice I said nursing. They were going to keep the scrub supplier/laundry, delivering scrubs for the docs and visitors to use, but we would have to get our own.

You could check AORN, I don't remember chapter and verse, but they don't approve of home laundered scrubs, water not hot enough etc.

Not sure of any numbers on infection rates either way, and I agree, I'm not sure that I want to do my scrubs at home with my family's laundery too.

Bottom line of my story, for now.....the service continues to deliver and launder our scrubs, we have our own by the way.

We'll work on cost savings somewhere else.....for now. :rolleyes:

Mike

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Our nurse manager refuses to even consider from-home scrubs because of the water temperature issue.

(Thank GOD, i wouldn't want to tote those crusty thing home.)

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(Thank GOD, i wouldn't want to tote those crusty thing home.)

I agree! Our staff is not happy about this, but what choice do we have? I looked at AORN and it stated that it is against their recommendations. It seems I have to expose my family to who knows what organisms so that the hospital can save a few bucks. :angryfire

Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts.

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I agree! Our staff is not happy about this, but what choice do we have? I looked at AORN and it stated that it is against their recommendations. It seems I have to expose my family to who knows what organisms so that the hospital can save a few bucks. :angryfire

Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts.

Bypass your OR manager and take it to either the Infection Control people if you have them or to someone in Risk Management.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I just am amazed - how stupid - in a supposedly sterile environment? Scary...scary...scary. Now I will have to stay awake for my next surgery and monitor everyones apparel!:chuckle

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:rotfl: Hi Confused

I would refer your manager (especially if you are in a hospital setting) to AORN standards of Recommended Practices OR Attire. It is a definite NO NO to wear you hospital OR scrubs home and launder them in you family washer. Good Luck

Hello all!

Our OR manager just announced that soon we will no longer have hospital issued OR scrubs. We will buy our own scrubs and wear them into work. Does anyone else do this now? How has it worked out? I have worked in the OR for 11 years and have always worn hospital scrubs at each place I have worked. It just seems strange to me, and sort of gross having to take our blood & betadine splashed scrubs home and wash them.

What ever happened to scrubs are supposed to be washed at a certain temperature? I guess infection control rules are changing?

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

:confused:

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

We all try to adhere to AORN standards, but remember it is only recommendations and not the rule. The bottom line of all facilities is how much money will they save by doing something different. The problem is you have a bunch of pencil pushing beaurcrats that haven't a clue about not only patient safety but also the safety of their employees! Of course any lawyer worth his/her salt will always bring up AORN standards in a court room, so maybe hospitals should think twice about what they are doing. Mike

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Hello all!

Our OR manager just announced that soon we will no longer have hospital issued OR scrubs. We will buy our own scrubs and wear them into work. Does anyone else do this now? How has it worked out? I have worked in the OR for 11 years and have always worn hospital scrubs at each place I have worked. It just seems strange to me, and sort of gross having to take our blood & betadine splashed scrubs home and wash them.

What ever happened to scrubs are supposed to be washed at a certain temperature? I guess infection control rules are changing?

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

:confused:

I am fairly new in the OR and we do wear our own scrubs in the OR. The hospital still provides scrubs for the surgeons and reps and anyone else that may need them. Since this is all I have known there, to me it doesn't seem that much different than working with VRE and MRSA patients on the floor and taking that stuff home. It has been discussed thoroughly and at times hotly, but it doesn't seem that there are any changes in the near future.

Take care, Tresa

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Specializes in Community, Renal, OR.

Do you get a laundry allowance for taking your scrubs home to wash?

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Do you get a laundry allowance for taking your scrubs home to wash?

What a funny joke! Ha Ha.

No, we do not get any compensation. We did not get an allowance to buy the scrubs either.

It has now been 1-2 years since we started doing this, and I will say we are getting more used to it. What else can we do?!?

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