Plus size nurse concerned about O.R. scrubs

highlandlass1592, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Email manager ASAP. Don't be embarrassed, it's not that rare.

renee1975 · Oct 25, 2011

That is a fear of mine too once I start in nursing classes. I am a pretty big girl and I'm not sure what to do re scrubs once I start doing clinicals. I'm hoping we have to buy something ourselves.

Hope32 · Oct 25, 2011

I would probably email and bring the scrubs with me. Don't be embarrassed. It's your body, it is what it is. You wouldn't be embarrassed if you needed special accommodation like a ramp if you were in a wheelchair right?

NiciNurse, LVN · Oct 25, 2011

I work at a surgery center, and it is REQUIRED that you wear the surgical scrubs. Which means no outside attire what so ever. A couple of people at my job had the same concern, they brought it to the managers attention and eventually more Lg and XL scrubs were ordered. Talk to your manager first before wearing any outside scrubs, you don't want to get in any trouble. Just my :twocents:

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Oct 25, 2011

I ran into this problem when I was doing clinicals for nursing school, I got lucky in one OR rotation they had surgical scrubs up to 5xlg so it deffinalty wasn't an issue.

The second OR rotation I had was in a hospital I already worked at as a CNA and I knew there were not very many large sized scrubs. I worked in the ED and we were suppossed to wear the scrubs they provide, but also were allowed to wear are own, so I purchased some blue ones that matched and wore them.

When I ended up having clinicals there I knew I would be in the OR again, so I stared looking for large sized scrubs in the ED supply, finally as my OR week got closer I talked to my clinical instructor regarding my concern. I asked if I could wear my own blue scrubs.

She then spoke with the OR manager who, said no to the scrubs from home, in the OR they have to be laundered throught the hospital, but he got scrubs from the OB department that were larger.

I would email the manager, yes it is embarrassing, but I think it might be worse to get there and not have any scrubs that fit and not be able to work untill they got scrubs.

Sanuk · Oct 25, 2011

It's a legitimate concern. Most hospitals do require you to wear their scrubs in the OR and a great percentage of them only carry up to 3xl. It's possible they have other scrubs you could wear or can make sure you get the larger size if those are in short supply. I wish you didn't have to worry about this and could just enjoy your new job. I look at it like this: I could admit that people know I'm not small and be upfront about it, or I could pretend that they didn't realize I was an XL and try to squeeze into an L. I ultimately chose to be comfortable and honest.

Let us know how your first day goes - congratulations on your new job!

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

I'm concerned that even though there might be a few very large O.R. scrubs they go quick. Tomorrow is my first unofficial day at a new job even before orientation so things moved quick. Really just a day to shadow. It occurred to me that scrubs were going to be an issue after left the hospital at 5PM today. I had mentioned it to the director, but never the manager so tonight I ran out and bought blue scrubs. It is the color they wear, but it's not their scrubs ( I get that.)
So my question: Just wear the blue scrubs I bought or maybe email the manager and explain th situation even though that will be incredibly embarrassing. Any other suggestions?

If they require you to wear hospital-issued scrubs, then they are required to provide them. I'd definately email the manager and explain the shortage in certain sizes

SweetheartRN · Oct 25, 2011

I'm concerned that even though there might be a few very large O.R. scrubs they go quick. Tomorrow is my first unofficial day at a new job even before orientation so things moved quick. Really just a day to shadow. It occurred to me that scrubs were going to be an issue after left the hospital at 5PM today. I had mentioned it to the director, but never the manager so tonight I ran out and bought blue scrubs. It is the color they wear, but it's not their scrubs ( I get that.)
So my question: Just wear the blue scrubs I bought or maybe email the manager and explain th situation even though that will be incredibly embarrassing. Any other suggestions?

Not trying to tell you how to feel but you shouldn't feel embarassed. Ok I did just tell you.:lol2:This is a valid concern that you shouldn't have to worry about. I would email her and let her know you just wanted to make sure

you wouldn't have any problems finding your size tomorrow. Plain and simple.

murphyle, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Definitely ask your manager. According to AORN*, surgical personnel should wear hospital-provided, professionally laundered scrubs that are made of low-linting fabric and fit in a loose and comfortable fashion. Tight-fitting scrubs increase skin friction and contribute to increased dispersal of body "scurf" - dead skin and commensal bacteria - in the surgical environment. Home laundering and home wear of surgical scrubs are not recommended due to the risk of cross-contamination from home and surgical environments. Home washers, even those equipped with "sanitize" cycles, don't get reliably hot enough to kill OR bugs, and home washers are definitely not rated to deal with hospital-grade sanitizing agents in effective concentrations. Throwing a shot of Clorox or Oxi-Clean in the washer with your scrubs is not going to do the trick. (As a side note, you always wondered how OR scrubs get that "broken in" look and feel so quickly... ) Home laundering also poses the risk of bringing external contaminants, such as smoke or animal dander, into the perioperative environment - another big no-no.

As others have said, if the hospital is providing your scrubs, they will have to provide them in your size, and that's something for your manager to address. In the meantime, if you get in a pinch, you can usually call other scrub-wearing units in the hospital (for us, that's OR/PACU, Central Processing, and Labor & Delivery) and ask them to check their inventory for plus sizes. Ask nicely and they'll be happy to tube you down a spare pair.

From my own experience, I've been in your predicament on more than a few occasions, but in reverse: in my hospital, it's smaller-sized scrubs you can't find. Our inventory runs predominantly to the plus sizes (look through any scrubs locker and you'll find no S, one or two M, one or two L, and a dozen or so XL-3XL), so people will beg, borrow and steal for smalls and mediums. (We actually had to special-order 2XS scrubs and 5.5 gloves for one of our residents, who's a good bit under 5'0" - poor thing looked like a kid playing dress-up in regular smalls.)

Hope this helps!

* Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. (2010). Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices. (2010 Ed.). Denver, CO: Author.

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Oct 25, 2011

My problem wasn't so much that larger scrubs weren't available (during nursing school clinicals), it was more that my size 4 classmates were too lazy to find the appropriate size (which was often right under the ones they grabbed) and would take whatever was on top. I needed XL, she needed S. I had to go out to the dept manager to ask for appropriate sized scrubs. The classmate looked foolish in the oversized scrubs. (I didn't know what transpired at the time.) When the OR manager went out to the holding area after getting me larger scrubs (we assumed they were just being worn by someone else needed the same size) she saw my classmate. Let's just say the classmate got an earful and so did our program director about why we need to wear clothing that fits.

There was another classmate who needed 4X/5X scrubs. He and the instructor contacted the OR manager who made arrangements for the proper size to be available from the laundry/scrub vendor. Since he was there after me, the OR manager held on to the scrubs until he checked in so as to prevent the embarrassing fiasco I endured.

(Ultimate answer--just ask. They may have the larger sizes separate from the standard sizes to ensure they are being utilized only by those who truly need the larger sizes not those that like to wear big clothing)

chevyv, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Although this may not be appropriate for many to say.....being me.....I would go with a pair of the scrubs that are available, head to the managers office, and say "Although I would love it my fat butt fit into these, it aint gonna happen today or tomorrow either. I really need __ size". I really would say that.