Whats with the scrubs?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Why do I keep seeing hospital workers out and about wearing their scrubs? I saw a nurse the other day(she had her name badge on) eating with her scrubs on in Subway and a doctor (same story) in a bar!!!! Whats with that. Has no-one ever heard of infection control? :barf01:

Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.
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.

Please don't talk to me like I'm a child. I'm more than well aware that microorganisms can't be seen to the naked eye, as I would hope all of us here knows that.

And I never said that my scrubs had no bacteria. I said that they have no more germs than street clothes would have. I dressed very nicely for my grandma's funeral last weekend. Shook a lot of hands and kissed and hugged a lot of people--I'm sure that I was 10x dirtier after the 2 hour wake than I am after a 12 hour shift at work.

I went to the bookstore the other night, thumbed through about 8 books, sat at the cafe and drank a coffee out of a glass mug, used the bathroom, handled paper money and change...and again, I doubt it if I wasn't just as dirty then as I am after my shift.

I used to work at a day care/pre-k (wearing street clothes), and I'd bet my life savings that after one 4 hour "shift" there I was much dirtier than I am coming out of my 12 hour RN job at a hospital.

Would you think the same of me for going to TGIFridays after any of these circumstances in those street clothes as if I had just come from work in my scrubs. Think logically, above the gut reaction of "Ew! Dirty scrubs!"

Again, drop the Typhoid Mary stigma and focus your energy on teaching the public the importance of handwashing and healthy lifestyles.;)

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Specializes in ITU/Emergency.
. So you can vomit emoticon all you feel the need to.

Umm, who started talking down to whom here?

Look...you have your point of view, I have mine but I am not getting all defensive about it. I stand by my point of view and I respect yours. The fact that I disagree with you is not an insult on your character or on anyone elses who doesn't agree with me. Isn't that one of the points of this forum...that we can come together and debate and discuss issues? I have read your argument and everyone elses who agrees with you and I still disagree.

I never mentioned 'typoid mary' or even insinuated as much so I think thats been blown out of proportion. In fact, I did say that the stopping of wearing scrubs outside the hospital would proberly not alter the rates of mRSA,etc... but I do believe and still believe that scrubs worn outside the clinical area present a potential source of infection and if you would think logically above the gut reaction of 'shes insulting me', then you would see there is a potential risk. I just think even a potential risk is too high.

However, without solid evidence to back up our points of view then we will never know whos right. I personally think there needs to be some research on this issue.....and if I am wrong then I don't mind admitting it.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.
I am against wearing scrubs outside of a hospital for the same reason I am against wearing runnng shoes or sweats when not running or exercising. It's too casual. Next people will be going out in public in their pajamas.

Haha that was a style in my high school to wear pajama bottoms that were really cute, or plaid ones with a sweat shirt of the college you got accepted to. Hmm most college students actually sometimes wear a pajama or sweat bottom who wants to go to school with heels and a mini on?

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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

:yeahthat:

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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!!!

:deadhorse

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
:deadhorse

Arent they supposed to be BEATING the dead horse? Not eating it!

LOL..thats pretty disturbing...

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Arent they supposed to be BEATING the dead horse? Not eating it!

LOL..thats pretty disturbing...

Yes. Cannibalism is rampant around here.

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At first I was like that too...couldn't understand how nurses leave the hospital with their scrubs still on...I'm a new grad and have been working for a month and that's how long it took me to understand why nurses do that...by the time I finish my very hectic 12 hrs shift the last thing on my mind is going into the tiny bathroom on our floor and changing into street clothing....all I want to do is go home...I do take off my scrub top and change into a normal shirt but that's about it...sucks I know but I can't help it. as for going out to eat in scrubs, never had a chance to do that and I doubt I will...unless it's in the middle of my shift. I just feel too exposed wearing my scrubs to eat out...it's like everybody knows your a nurse...I just don't like that

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Specializes in Critical care/ER, SRNA.
I guess I'm out of step with the times. I know, I'll be fashion forward and just wear a towel next time I go out!

You obviously don't know what it's like to work a grueling 12 hours and want to have a drink after work because your day was so horrible. Who cares what people wear when they are not at work. Life is way to short than to worry about what others are wearing outside their job. You don't have to be in a hospital to be exposed to germs. They are everywhere.

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i am against wearing scrubs outside of a hospital for the same reason i am against wearing runnng shoes or sweats when not running or exercising. it's too casual. next people will be going out in public in their pajamas.

lol they already are!!

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Arent they supposed to be BEATING the dead horse? Not eating it!

LOL..thats pretty disturbing...

Yes. Cannibalism is rampant around here.

Maybe they are nurses eating their young horse?

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Cafeteria workers and day care workers wear scrubs as well.

true. the cafeteria workers at my son's school wear them. i had never seen that before.

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