Whats with the scrubs?

firstyearstudent · Jun 10, 2007

I bet you shop at the upscale places too. Well, for those of us who can't afford $100 shoes and the walk-in-closet where we can store them....
I wear my work clothes to work. I wear my church clothes to church. If I am going to some function (party, over to a friend's house, etc) I wear casual dress pants and a polo. If I am on "my time", I wear Whatever I Want! I am not what you would call "fashionable," and I hate even the word "fashion" because it implies exclusion: "Eeew! Look at that person, they aren't dressed correctly!"
As far as shoes go, I wear my dress shoes to church. I wear my boots when I go hunting. For the balance of my time, I wear the proscribed "running shoes". GASP! That man is not wearing the appropriate foot attire! Well they are my feet, and I challenge anyone: where do you get the right to tell me what kind of shoes I should wear?
(pant, pant). Ok. Rant over.

It's not a financial issue. I shop at thrift stores and there are plenty of running shoes that cost well over $100 and much more than a pair of Oxfords from Target.

Whenever I see scrubs I don't think the person is a healthcare worker. I think back to that tacky fashion in the 80s where everyone was wearing scrub tops. That shows you how old I am.

walk6miles · Jun 10, 2007

I love my scrubs so much I want to be buried in them..... better still, I am quite a seamstress... I will make a flag of the old scrubs and fly it on the flagpole in front of my home - I AM A NURSE - I AM PROUD - say it again people - I AM A NURSE - I AM PROUD!!! LOLOLOL

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Jun 10, 2007

I live 30 miles outside of town in B.F.E. I'm not driving home to the boonies first to change if I get the idea to pick up some take out, or even hit the Chili's after work. People can scoff all they want, but I gotta eat.

bratt8781 · Jun 10, 2007

I like to wear my pajamas out sometimes...:roll

Jo Dirt · Jun 10, 2007

What's wrong with that? it's too casual? :uhoh21: Wow-lucky you to have so few real problems that you have time to act as fashion police.

Boy, that's what I say. Never could understand the focus on appearances. From what I have seen in life people become so focused on appearances because of either a deep seated insecurity or there is something to hide. As a matter of fact, I will wear my scrubs even when not working because they are comfortable.

My street clothes are so raddy and old I know I look like a bag lady but sometimes I will wear them anyway (maybe I should be ashamed but I actually had a woman come up and try to offer me money once) Anyway, if a person wants to wear their scrubs in public that is fine by me, why dirty up extra clothes just for the sake of keeping in line with someone else's idea of what should and should not be worn?

Jo Dirt · Jun 10, 2007

Every so often this type of thread appears...Look I will stop and get gas if I need in the morning, run to the bank at lunch if I have to, or pop into the grocery on the way home, all with my scrubs on. Banks are closed by the time I get off and closed when I go to work in the mornings. What do you suggest, I change, go the bank, drive back to work, and put my scrubs back on again? Please! Personally, I think some people worry too much about what other people are doing.[/quote']
No, you should have the decency to get to the tuxedo shop before they close...
All this talk of keeping up appearances is starting to seem worse than trivial.

firstyearstudent · Jun 10, 2007

What do you mean, trivial! I'm studying for my final final and this is my fifth or sixth hour in a 6' x 8' room alone. I'm going out of my mind!

I've got to get some kind of debate going!!!!

What about hats? I think men and women should wear hats again.

Selke · Jun 10, 2007

Just don't let Stacy and Clinton of "What Not To Wear" see y'all out in your scrubs :nono: :rotfl: :eek:

(I have actually wondered what fashion advice they'd give nurses on how to dress for patient care!)

Kelly_the_Great · Jun 10, 2007

Okay, and the arguement can be turned around too, if you really want to get technical about it.

Think about the "stuff" we bring into the hospital from home or wherever we happen to venture to before work.

I wear my scrubs to the grocery store, etc. b/c i live in cardiacRN2006's hometown (B.F.E. (lol)) too and i'm not drivin' 30 miles to change clothes just to picked up a loaf of bread, ya know?

Anyways, as far as infection control goes the hospitals ought to provide all direct care providers with clothes just like they do for OR, OB, ER, etc. But then again, i think 80% of would probably culture (+) for MRSA anyways.

i say just wash your hands and avoid scratchin' your butt and pickin' your nose, you'll probably be okay...

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Jun 10, 2007

i say just wash your hands and avoid scratchin' your butt and pickin' your nose, you'll probably be okay...

Now....if we can only get the Drs to do the same.....

Crux1024 · Jun 10, 2007

No, you should have the decency to get to the tuxedo shop before they close...
All this talk of keeping up appearances is starting to seem worse than trivial.

LOL!

:roll :roll :roll

scattycarrot, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2007

I work on a clean unit, many days I don't come into contact with any type of bodily fluid. I don't get pooped on, coughed on, peed on, bled on, etc, on a regular basis, and if i were to become "contaminated" then I'd change.
Yes, I am sometimes out and about with my scrubs on. I'm not apologetic about it at all. I'm not infecting anyone any more than i would be wearing my street clothes. So you can vomit emoticon all you feel the need to.

I will vomit emoticon all over that as it doesn't matter how 'clean' your unit is or you think it is, whether you like it or not, your uniform aka scrubs, is a possible carrier of infective organisims. You can't 'see' micro-organisms and you don't have to be visibly soiled or have come into contact with bodily fliuids to be harbouring MRSA, gram negative or gram postive bacteria, vancomycin-resistant enterococcus or other micro-organisims, which are proving such infection control issues. In any hospital or clinical enviroment, you only need to pick up patients notes to have a possible cross contamination issue. YOU might be clean but that doctor/nurse/whoever who sat in that chair or handled those notes or touched that doorhandle might not have been. Community-acquired infections are on the increase and I personally think we have a duty of care to our patients and the community as a whole to limit possible exposure and if that means taking in a set of clothes to change into at work,then I don't think thats too much to ask.

Now, as far as research goes, I will admit that there is no definitive documented connection (as far as I am aware) between wearing scrubs in the community and the rates of hospital acquired infection but then, conversly, there are is their any research which disproves a link?

As for those who say they are wearing their scrubs out and about before they go into work, then you have to remember that uniforms and universal precautions are there to also protect the patient and that micro-organisms exist in the community as well and they can be taken into the hospital. Just look at when the norovirus or c-diff decides to run rampant in a hospital and nursing homes and how quickly it can spread.

I am not saying that if people stopped wearing scrubs outside the clinical area than we would see the end of MRSA,etc.. or that HCW's should decontaminate before and after their shift, all I am saying is that its not too unbelievable to consider that scrubs or any HCW uniform are a potential source of infection.

And I did say that the HCW's I was referring to had badges on. I couldn't care less if you wear scrubs at home or to Walmart as long as they haven't seen the inside of a clinical area.

Just my personal opionon, I know this is a contentious issue!!!