Uniform Confusion

Personally I think it's worse to have long sleeves as spills/bugs will hitch a ride. You can wash your hands and arms (especially for sterile procedures) with short sleeves easily, but it's much harder to wash if you have sleeves covering your arms all the time. You'd be forever pushing them up and they'd probably carry lots of little extras from patient contact.

Of course I could be wrong, but my logic anyway. Will be interesting to see everyone elses opinions. In my facility we 'cannot' wear long sleeves unless a facility jumper at the desk and have to take it off for patient care.

Is the doc of a culture that requires women to be covered?

If a RN/tech on our floor tends to be cold, they will wear long sleeves, but it is by no means required.

If was OSHA required, then scrubs would come with long sleeves.

No, it's not an OSHA requirement. So it's hard to provide something to you that proves something doesn't exist. :)

It sounds like the doctor believes that women should have their arms covered at all times. Are there any males working in your office? Are they also required to wear long sleeves?

This certainly isn't an OSHA requirement in a doctor's office, and I agree with Gold_SJ that it's a lot easier to get germs on long sleeves then it is short sleeves. I'd almost guarantee that this policy was put in place due to the beliefs/traditions of the physician that oversees the practice.

Our OR and PACU staff aren't allowed to wear long sleeve shirts under their scrubs unless always wearing a scrub coat. They don't want street clothes bringing in germs.

word to the wise: if anyone ever says anything to you like, "it's an osha rule" or "hipaa!" make them show it to you in writing. that will be the end of that.

Think your boss has it backwards. Pretty sure we aren't supposed to have more than 3/4 sleeves that are snug fitting under our tops...lol. Long sleeves are an infection control risk.

long sleeves increase in the possibility of trapping body fluids, although many nurses wear them and it is not prohibited. it is not an osha requirement. neither are gloves for giving a shot btw. gloves are required when there is a

If you wear a lab coat (long sleeves, right?) how on earth does anyone know or care what's under the sleeves? I'd suggest buying a pair of cuffs (you know, like the Chippendales) and wear those cuffs under your lab coat! Voila!

I remember a girl I went to school with got written up for long sleeves. They were against the dress code as they increase the risk for carrying germs

I go "naked" from the forearms down. Last thing I want to do is bring home something on jewelry, watch or cuffs. It's a little odd when someone asks me what time it is when I'm not at work, because I look at my breast -- where my fob watch usually rides.