Ever notice when you’re in the hospital, that everyone from the doctor to the nurses to the cleaners all wear the same, plain, white clothing? Well, there’s a reason for it. From cargo scrubs with handy pockets, to the usual two-piece attire, these uniforms aren’t just for style. They play a vital role in keeping hospitals and other care centres safe and clean day in and day out.
Why It’s All About the Uniform
Let’s consider this. A nurse visits scores of rooms each day. A lab tech processes samples, instruments and patients in rapid succession. If they were dressed in typical clothes, the germs they leave behind on every surface they touch could be transferred to a new location. Scrubs are made from easy-to-clean, long-lasting, synthetic and blended fabric such as polyester and cotton, which ensures no contact with potentially infectious materials.
The Infection Control Connection
Let’s consider the following fact. There are 1.7 million hospital-acquired infections in the US hospitals each year, and health care workers’ uniforms become contaminated when treating patients, and can potentially be a vector for spreading infection. A recent landmark study (Journal of Hospital Infection 2015) evaluated the use of antimicrobial uniforms on 127 registered nurses and patient care technicians on medical or surgical wards.
Home vs. Facility Laundering
It’s all in the wash. Washing at home is not as effective at cleaning surgical scrubs as laundering in a health care facility or third-party laundry service. In most hospitals, scrubs are washed in professional laundries using specialised washing products and high-temperate cycles to kill superbugs (industrial sterilisation). That’s why many hospitals have their own laundering services rather than relying on individual employees to do their own laundering.
Medical Scrubs Aren’t Just Like Any Clothing
Scrubs are among the many personal protective equipment items. Proper care of the scrubs ensures their integrity and allows them to effectively prevent the spread of super-antibiotic-resistant bacteria, fungi and other microbes. Not only is the material important, but also how you care for it. Washing habits (depending on fabric type), storage and using quality personal protective equipment (PPE) with the scrub, are all factors that help boost the uniform’s lifespan.
Fabric Technology Is Evolving
Today’s scrubs are very different to those of 10 years ago. The design of scrubs is changing rapidly, with an emphasis on not only being functional, but fashionable, recyclable and high performance. The latest antimicrobial-treated fabrics are being trialled and implemented in hospitals to provide an additional barrier for protection that regular cotton can’t provide.
Systematic Coloring
Here’s an interesting fact about hospitals patients may not know. The scrubs someone is wearing can give you a clue to what they are and what they do. Hospitals have different departments wear different colors of scrubs, allowing staff, patients, and visitors to easily spot doctors, nurses and technicians. This helps to avoid confusion, provides faster information during medical emergencies and makes the hospital environment less chaotic.
Comfort That Supports Better Care
Nursing is physically fatiguing. When a nurse is uncomfortable in poorly fitting, stiff uniforms they are distracted. Investing in comfortable, clean scrubs demonstrates a commitment to health care providers’ comfort and safety, along with infection control. Health-care workers have long, often gruelling shifts (sometimes 12 hours or more) and scrubs are constructed of breathable lightweight materials with relaxed fits for easy mobility. When staff are comfortable they can concentrate on giving the best care possible.
Keeping Scrubs in Top Condition
Scrubs need to be properly maintained to keep them functional. Good maintenance provides several advantages: hygienic through the removal of microorganisms, durable which prolongs the life of the garment and aesthetic that is important for a professional look. Several best practices will go a long way. Wear fresh scrubs each day. Keep them in a separate place from your other clothes. If you have damaged or worn scrubs, report them so they can be replaced.
Final Thoughts
Scrubs may seem like a mundane uniform but they are much more than that. It keeps patients safe, it keeps health care workers safe, it upholds the hygiene protocols of a health care facility and it says “professional” when you walk into a room. No matter if you are a new nurse trainee or an established surgeon, you care about what you wear. And that’s something to take seriously.