Skirts in the OR

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Is this an absolute no-no. I wear skirts, and did so throughout all of my clinicals (my personal preference). I got to observe a C-section once and no one said anything to me. What do you think? By the way I live in Colorado, so I don't know if there are different rules about this in other parts of the country.

Thanks for replying.

Those of you that do work in the OR and wear skirts, how did you bring this up in your interview about your preferences? What kind of response did you get? Do you think bringing it up in the interview will lower one's chances of getting a job in the OR. Right now I don't have any job prospects for the OR, but when I do, I want to know how to handle this. Frankly, I haven't given up the ideal that I can work in this specialty. I just can't let go of my dreams because of something I feel is so minor. I believe I can give just as good patient care wearing a scrub skirt as wearing scrub pants (of course I would be wearing the appropriate atire beneath the skirt that is).;)

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
We have one female surgeon that insists on scrub skirts. The hospital provides these for her. No one else wears them and she doesn't have the legs for them. UGH!

I know some orthodox Jewish female MDs that wear scrub skirts. But whether they have the legs or no, is not relevant as theirs are to the ankle.

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Specializes in ER,L&D,Med/Surg,OR-Just about everything.

I can not stop laughing about the "perineal fallout" issue! :rotfl: As an old OR nurse and an infection control nurse this is just too funny for words. Who ever wrote that policy needs some serious education. We still have OR dresses for those who choose. Unless you are doing a table dance over the surgical site the chances of harm from "perineal fallout" is well, let's just say not very likely. So to those of you who want to wear skirts or dresses in the OR go for it but make your argument with facts. In the case of having to do CPR on a patient on the table, that is why it is called "breaking scrub" and at that point the most important task is to start that heart!!

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Specializes in OR.
I can not stop laughing about the "perineal fallout" issue! :rotfl: As an old OR nurse and an infection control nurse this is just too funny for words. Who ever wrote that policy needs some serious education. We still have OR dresses for those who choose. Unless you are doing a table dance over the surgical site the chances of harm from "perineal fallout" is well, let's just say not very likely. So to those of you who want to wear skirts or dresses in the OR go for it but make your argument with facts. In the case of having to do CPR on a patient on the table, that is why it is called "breaking scrub" and at that point the most important task is to start that heart!!
PERINEAL FALLOUT- I think this is going to be the name of my rock band...I know darn well that this may be a "sacred cow" but AORN has quite a few of them still. I guess it's hard for me to relate to someone feeling that their God will be PO'd at them for wearing pants, but that's me...If your hospital allows it, then go for it. I'm just thinking that it may open up a can of worms with people feeling resentful that some people don't have to follow the same dress code as everyone else..As far as the CPR issue, I just found it funny that someone who's worried that pants are "immodest" wouldn't care about their rear hanging out in the breeze.:lol2:
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I just want to thank all of you for giving me a good laugh after a long day!

What a hoot :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ER.

Just an interpretation thought regarding Deuteronomy 22:5 - from what I read, it speaks to a specific gender not wearing the clothing intended for the opposite gender.

While I understand that pants were once (and still are sometimes) considered "male", to me, SCRUBS are gender-neutral. They were and are traditionally for OR staff (and now medical staff), regardless of gender. More of a generic uniform, than any kind of gender specific garb. Would wearing a specific gender-neutral uniform for a job (during the performance of said job, only) go against Deuteronomy 22:5?

Thoughts?

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Specializes in OR, transplants,GYN oncology.
what stupid policies - the law of gravity applies to perineal droppings as well as to feathers. wearing pants isn't going to make once iota of difference unless you wrap the pants right on the ankles. a skirt with pantyhose will keep a lot less material from the floor than pants.

i'm with you. i have been in the or for over 20 years, and the craziness of some of these old rituals nevers ceases to amaze me. why does our culture have such a need to micromanage women? i swear, if we were not a profession predominantly of women, we would not have so many meaningless rules, nor would we tolerate them. men simply do not tolerate such pettiness.

we, as nurses, want to be accepted as a profession of educated people who practice a scientifically evidence-based discipline, yet we cling to too many old rules which really have no basis. (except maybe to keep the girls in line) ok, i'll stop....but it did feel good to get that off my chest.:rolleyes:

or]

when all is said and done, i still love the or after 21years!

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Specializes in OR, transplants,GYN oncology.
You will have to find a facility that will provide these for you. You are not permitted to bring your own from home for the OR. This is per JCAHO and AORN standards.

My OR is the 1st place I've worked that requires OR staff to provide and launder their own scrubs. Every new employee there is horrified at first, but there is no alternative. The hospital will not budge on this. (They follow AORN guidelines only when it suits their position)

I recently did a lit search on this, and found truly mixed results. Yes, it grosses us all out, and is definitely a cheapskate move on the part of the hospital, but I do think this sacred cow is on the way out, thanks to the final arbiter of policy - finances. [EVIL](Of course, we do still provide custom-prepared omelets and hot lunches for the docs in the surgeons' lounge daily - that's not too expensive!)[/EVIL][/COL

Home-laundering of scrubs is probably wandering a bit off-topic here, but we did sort of inch our way to it when suggesting our colleague might bring her own skirt to the OR.... Have a great weekend, everyone.

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Plus, what if you have to do CPR during a case(this has happened at my facility) and have to jump up on the table to do compressions? I had to do this because a patient coded on the cysto table and it is high off the ground. Anyone in a scrub dress would have their fanny hanging out and I would think much "fallout" could occur.

How long are scrub dresses only really seen srub sets, oh is fanny is the american sense of butt or how short are these dresses as fanny is british slang for vulva.

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Specializes in OR.
How long are scrub dresses only really seen srub sets, oh is fanny is the american sense of butt or how short are these dresses as fanny is british slang for vulva.
:lol2: Most of the dresses Ive seen are slightly above knee level. I had no idea fanny was slang for vulva-that's why its so cool to have nurses from different countries posting here..
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PERINEAL FALLOUT- I think this is going to be the name of my rock band...

OK, off topic but LOL at the rock band. You think like me. Sorry for you, that's scary! I once heard an ad for a local band (as I was driving to a conference so nursing was on my mind) called "Edema" I thought that was funny and decided if I ever start a garage band I'm gonna call it "Pleural Effusion" Looking forward to meeting Perineal Fallout at the battle of the bands!

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If it is for a religious reason, I'm not sure I would mention that at an interview -- at least not until you've accepted a job. I know that seems kind of shady, but at the same time, if it is a religious issue then you shouldn't feel the need to share that first off. Just as you shouldn't feel the need to mention you are 5 weeks pregnant while interviewing for a job, or to mention that you are HIV positive. Discrimination issues are a possibility, and to avoid that, perhaps discuss uniform when you are offered a job or when you've accepted a job. Our ER has a tech who is phenomenal, efficient and incredibly smart, on the ball, who wears long skirts -- she is apostolic christian. No one has an issue with her skirts, and I love working with her because she's an asset despite her choice in "dress" code -- no pun intended. :)

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