Wearing scrubs home?

[Lee_Ryan]

Hi, I'm curious about nurses' scrubs in US. Is it true that you need to buy your own scrubs and wash it yourself at home? I saw on tv, some people wear scrubs on their way to/from home and somewhere in between, is it also happening? In Finland where I work, the facilities always provide uniforms for their staff (nurses, doctors, students, therapist, etc). We leave them at work after shift and the hospital laundry will take care of it. We just need to bring our own shoes. I would like to learn about nurses in other countries too! What is it like in your place?

Thanks!

Ryan

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Don't get me going on the shoes. A hospital floor is a Petri dish. Shoes were left outside.

How about when someone lets their kids roll around on the floor of grandma/grandpa's hospital room?

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

Most likely.. but not to that concentration. Thanks for reminding me... I scrub my hands every time, I come home from any outing. Paranoia strikes deep.

I was shopping at Wholefoods the other day and I saw someone pick up a thing of kale and then drop it on the floor. Then pick it back up and put it on the shelf. Then I look around and see two people walking around in scrubs....and I KNOW not everyone is kind enough to have dedicated footwear for work. I opted for the prepackaged kale that day. I wash my produce but I'm not using bleach...and I cannot steam a salad.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Yes I must purchase, and wash my own scrubs. I do wear my scrubs to and from work as well. I try not to stop anywhere if I can help it in my scrubs. I do have to take my son to school after I get off work and to physical therapy once a week and I do not have time to change prior (It is an hour drive with traffic in the morning for PT for us.). Occasionally if I need to get something before work I will stop at the store, but in and out as quick as I can. I don't go grocery shopping in my scrubs.

If I worked L&D or OR then the srubs are provided by the hospital, and laundered by the hospital.

[Amethya]

Can I go work in the UK? Be nice to not spend money on scrubs.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Can I go work in the UK? Be nice to not spend money on scrubs.

Ummm, right now in the UK there is (not even kidding) a nation-wide charity bake sale to benefit nurses. The pay is pretty bad.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

At my full time job staff buy their own and wash their own scrubs. No limits on what color/style. My PRN job staff buy/wash their own (except surgery and L&D). Staff must wear a certain color (RN's Blue), but style is up to the nurse.

Another local hospital requires staff to buy/wash their own (except surgery and L&D). . The staff must also pay to have the tops embroidered. They also have color assignments.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Duplicate post. Stupid slow internet!

[Amethya]

Ummm, right now in the UK there is (not even kidding) a nation-wide charity bake sale to benefit nurses. The pay is pretty bad.

That's sad.

But yes, we pay for our own scrubs, unless your job pays for them. I had a job where they got me scrubs from my paycheck only once. It was nice.

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

We Have both options,scrubs from certain areas like the OR may not be worn outside the area.Others buy their own and wash themselves.There is also a uniform allowance once a year about 225 dollars.

[Nalon1 RN/EMT-P, BSN, RN]

Have to buy my own, specific color (royal blue), whatever style I want. No reimbursement from facility.

Have to wash them myself.

Only OR gets scrubs provided.

Seems a lot of germaphobes here.

I put my scrubs on in the morning, wear them at work, wear them home, and wear them around the house till I go to bed. Sure if they are soiled, bloody etc they are taken off, but no big deal.

They go in the laundry with all my families other clothing. Nobody dead yet and no C. Diff, MRSA etc in me, wife or kids.

[Pheebz777, BSN, RN]

True, but random grocery shoppers aren't doing dressing changes on surgical incisions, open wounds, etc. either.

Some people like to don a disposable gown for that anyhow, especially open wounds.

I just had to say that, 'don a gown'. Sounds so , idk...nurse textbooky.

You never know. Ask home health nurses who follow up patients' with chronic wounds at home on a weekly basis if family follows all the same protocols, handwashing, and gowning up that we normally do at work.

"Hey grandma, I'll go do the groceries right after I do your dressing changes."

--- doesn't use gloves for changing dressings and forgets to wash hands immediately after dressing change to get to the grocery before it closes.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

How about when someone lets their kids roll around on the floor of grandma/grandpa's hospital room?

And God forbid anyone politely tell the parents that their kids should not be rolling around on that biohazard site known as a hospital floor.