Wearing scrubs to clinicals...

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So I know this is kind of a random thought but of course like all nursing students, you have to have scrubs in the hospital. Now when I'm out I see a lot of people who wear them to the hospital. Am I the only one who has a problem with this? I start nursing classes next year and I was just thinking about it. I'll be using public transportation so that means taking buses and trains to the clinical sites and our scrubs are all white. I'm so paranoid of the kind of stuff might get on my scrubs by the time I get to the hospital and then what happens when its raining outside. I know students do it because they say there aren't any places to put your things at the hospital but it just seems so germy to me.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I wear mine to the clinical site. I put them on right before I leave my house, I get in my car and drive to the clinical site and go in.

How is it any different then civilians wearing their street clothes into the hospital all day??

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I live in Colorado, so several times last year it was snowing/raining/wet going to clinicals. I wore jeans and changed into my scrubs at the clinical site to stay dry.

If you are talking about the germs, I am more worried about what the patients are going to give to me, than what I can give to them off of my clothes, etc. For the immunocompromised patients, you gown etc.

During this last med/surg clinicals H1N1 was so prevelant, that instructors strongly advised us to change out of our scrubs before going home to protect our families.

If you are that uncomfortable wearing your scrubs on the bus, change when you get to the hospital.

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Specializes in ICU.

Like others, I'm more worried about what I carry out of the hospital than what I'm carrying in. Certainly any facility you go to will have a restroom where you can change if you are really concerned about it though. I can definately see where white scrubs and public transportation might lead to stains and such before even starting your shift, so I certainly understand your concern!

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Like others, I'm more worried about what I carry out of the hospital than what I'm carrying in. Certainly any facility you go to will have a restroom where you can change if you are really concerned about it though. I can definately see where white scrubs and public transportation might lead to stains and such before even starting your shift, so I certainly understand your concern!

I don't get the point of white scrubs period for that very reason. I am glad ours aren't white I stain everything. I shadowed at the prison the other week and the nurse had on black scrubs with a pink long sleeve under. It looked really cute. I wish we could have black scrubs!

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We wear ours to the clinical site. The main reason is we're lucky to have somewhere to put our books, much less having a place to put extra clothes. I do change mine as soon as I get home because of what I might carry home.

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I guess it makes sense because everyone does kind of walk into the hospital from off the street. I guess my thing is just that it's white. I live in NYC which doesn't have the cleanest public transportation out there. I don't know why they want all white. I'll wear a coat/jacket/sweater most of the time so I'm not so much worried about the shirt so much as I'm worried about the nice easily stainable white pants.

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In the OR - however - you walk in with your street clothes - change into hospital scrubs - and walk out in your street clothes.

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Specializes in Infusion, Med/Surg/Tele, Outpatient.

The best tip I ever got for white scrubs --- when removing stains at home, use dishwasher detergent (but only on whites d/t bleaching agents.)

A few reasons why you wear whites: the public associates whites with nurses; some of the older generation of nurses (like my old program director) thinks whites look the most professional of all scrubs, because the 'uniforms' must be identical, so we can't have dresses....; and thanks to above tip, they really won't have permanent stains.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

In the summer I always wore street clothes to the clinical hospital and then changed into scrubs. Now that it's cooler I wear my coat over my scrubs on the way to the hospital. It saves me time, not having to change clothes twice. Besides for the dirt factor, I'm self-conscious about wearing scrubs in the street, but if they're covered with my coat I don't mind.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

You can also just wear a pair of baggy sweats over your scrub pants to keep them clean on the way in.

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Specializes in acute care.

Its not as bad as you think. I wear my scrubs to the clinical, never had a problem, and my instructors always understood the bottom of our pants getting a litle dirty when it rained. No biggy. Many of my classmates also like to bring a change of clothes as well. Some hospitals have plenty of space for you to leave your stuff, others don't. I don't know of anyone who carries thier scrubs and changes at the clinical site.

I guess it makes sense because everyone does kind of walk into the hospital from off the street. I guess my thing is just that it's white. I live in NYC which doesn't have the cleanest public transportation out there. I don't know why they want all white. I'll wear a coat/jacket/sweater most of the time so I'm not so much worried about the shirt so much as I'm worried about the nice easily stainable white pants.
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