6 Reasons to Give Thanks to Scrubs

By Jordie Papa

Image courtesy of wikimedia

With Thanksgiving Day being right around the corner, I thought I would take the time to show all you healthcare workers out there six reasons you should be thankful that scrubs have become the go to wardrobe for the medical profession. 

1, These aren’t your grandma’s medical uniforms.

A hundred years ago, attire for doctor’s and nurses was very different.  All doctors wore a white lab coat, dress shirts and ties.  Nurses of the era were required to wear floor-length white dresses with long sleeves. Imagine working your way through a busy ER or OR in that getup.  Eventually those dresses morphed into knee-length skirts that made working in hospitals and clinics a lot easier.

2. Scrubs make getting ready for work a breeze?

Image courtesy of Uniform Destination

Having worked in a number of professions over the years, I can tell you that it isn’t easy trying to decide what to wear to work every day.  Not to mention, buying a bunch of different outfits is extremely expensive.  For medical professionals, deciding what to wear is a snap.  Reach into the closet, grab a top and an appropriate pair of scrub pants and you’re good to go for even the longest of shifts. 

3.  Scrubs are easy to care for.

One of the downsides to working in healthcare is coming into contact with all sorts of nasty fluids and pathogens.  One of the main reasons scrubs have become so popular is due to the fact that they can easily be cleaned.  Most every kind of stain can be removed from scrubs in your washing machine.  With some stains, such as blood, you may have to soak your scrubs overnight in a mixture of water and enzyme detergent before washing them in cold water, but it’s doubtful that most common stains will cause your favorite pair of scrubs to wind up in the rag bag. 

4. Scrubs are economical

Another thing to be thankful about is that scrubs are so economical.  At Uniform Destination we carry tops starting as low as $16.99 and scrub pants starting at $12.99.  This is good news for healthcare professionals who work in the ER or OR.  If your scrubs wind up a mess before your shift is over, you can afford to pack a couple of spare pairs in your locker.  Even designer scrubs such as Grey's anatomy and Vera Bradley can be had for around $50 a set.  That’s less than many of us used to pay for dress slacks.

5. Scrubs are hospital-friendly

Image courtesy of flickr

Other than appearing clean, when it comes to working in hospitals and clinics, it’s important that clothes don’t become unwitting vectors for pathogens.  While there is no sure cure for MRSA, staph and other contaminants that routinely come into contact with healthcare workers, modern scrubs are designed to minimize the possibility for contamination.   That being said, it’s a fact that bacteria are transferred from patient to hospital workers 70% of the time.   Even being in the same room with a patient can be enough to pass along a pathogen.  The most important thing you can do if your scrubs come into contact with biological material or an infected patient, is to change into clean scrubs right away.

6.  Scrubs make it easy to get respect

 While perceptions change from generation to generation, one thing is certain in the 21^st Century.  People who dress in scrubs command a lot of respect.  In the past it was doctors in their white lab coats who were fawned over by the public, far more than other healthcare workers.  However, since doctors routinely wear scrubs instead of lab coats these days, the rest of those in the healthcare industry who sport lab coats get to share the love.

Jordie Papa is owner of Uniform Destination with four locations in North Florida.