Wondering how others feel about wearing scrubs out in general public.  How many times have you gone to a store and seen a person in scurbs.  Have you ever wondered what they have been exposed to prior to going shopping?  I know that running by the grocery store on the way home is practically a way of life, however I am concerned about spreading the wealth of infection to the unsuspecting. 

I am in the process of writing a proposal to the my dept manager (med-surg) in regards to providing scrubs for us on the floor and letting the hospital have them cleaned.  That way we come in with our street clothes and leave in them and we don't have the high rate of possibly spreading MRSA or what ever to the public.  Should I continue with the possibility or just drop it.  I tend to come home after work and shower and change to "real clothes" before going out but I know many who don't. 

What you're proposing is what the standard used to be.  Unfortunately, now even in surgical areas, it's the norm to use "home washed" scrubs. 

IMO, it's more about cost than infection prevention. 

Healthcare organizations are happy to pass the cost of uniforms & cleaning onto their staff whether or not it means that infectious organisms are passed onto the community.

I've had the same thought as you multiple times since I've returned to clinical practice - I drive home in my cloth seats, after caring for my VRE & MRSA infected patients, go home, & change clothes.  Then, the next day...after I work out at the gym, I sit on my cloth seats in my shorts with my pores wide open after sweating...hmmm what am I exposing myself to, let alone the general public???

Good luck with your proposal - maybe you'll start a revolution.

Martini - actually, I thought of that one...I wear t-shirts w/my scrub pants & would be pretty pissed off if I was ordered to wear something different.

Ahh, individuality wins again. 

Maybe we can just come up w/a way to have our clothes decontaminated at work.

Or...here's the best infection-control plan ever (not mine & purely fantasy - cold-hearted & meant as a joke):

Instead of hospital rooms - each pt will be float in bubble filled w/a gelatinous mix that (kind of like the matrix).  Tubes would be in each orafice to feed & drain as needed, including IV solutions.  No one would ever touch the patients - all would be controlled by computer, hence no spread of infection.  When the pt is ready for discharge, they would be "flushed" out of the hospital & into their car. 

We could then wear what ever we want!

greenergrass says ...

Martini - actually, I thought of that one...I wear t-shirts w/my scrub pants & would be pretty pissed off if I was ordered to wear something different.

Ahh, individuality wins again. 

Maybe we can just come up w/a way to have our clothes decontaminated at work.

Or...here's the best infection-control plan ever (not mine & purely fantasy - cold-hearted & meant as a joke):

Instead of hospital rooms - each pt will be float in bubble filled w/a gelatinous mix that (kind of like the matrix).  Tubes would be in each orafice to feed & drain as needed, including IV solutions.  No one would ever touch the patients - all would be controlled by computer, hence no spread of infection.  When the pt is ready for discharge, they would be "flushed" out of the hospital & into their car. 

We could then wear what ever we want!

I think I will use your proposal, with your permission, at the next staff meeting and see if I can get them to work on it.  I especially like the flushed out of the hospital and into the car.  I see a large PVC pipe coming out of each pt's window and reaching the parking lot.  Of course pushing pt's out the door is case managements job so we might be stepping on their toes.  On the other hand it might make their job easier because they could tell the pt 'insurance says it's time for you to go" Whoosh!!