Hospital scrubs.
Hospital scrubs, blouse and trouser set have become ubiquitous in the health care industry throughout the modern medical world. They are worn by surgeons, nurses and all type of theatre support staff. The wearing of medical scrub set in the clean area is designed as a sterile option to normal street attire.
The general procedure is for wearers to remove their street clothing in a changing area before putting on their scrubs set prior to entering the sterile or clean area. When these scrubs become soiled or at a predetermined time they are sent for laundering at the hospitals in house laundry or to a specially dedicated out source laundry company. It is not appropriate to take scrubs home for washing as there is the potential to bring back infections, also the temperature of domestic washing machines is not high enough to sterilize the scrubs. Hospitals need to have at least 3 sets of scrubs for each employee working in the sterile area, 1 on, 1 in the wash and 1 spare. This amounts to a lot of scrubs and the need for a large laundry.
People who wear scrubs are not permitted to leave the clean area whilst wearing their scrubs as infections picked up in the theatre can be carried out into the public area. Similarly infections present in the public area can be carried back into the theatre. This is not a satisfactory form of infection control. As it is not convenient to remove the scrubs each time an operative leaves the clean area and to change back into street clothes, some form of over garment is worn. This is normally a wrap around isolation gown or plain white coat often made from poly/cotton as a make do solution. This also adds hugely to the laundry cost burden.
Speciality Textiles has developed "DOCS" a Disposable Coat to be worn over Scrubs especially for this situation. This garment has short sleeves, no collar or pockets and is designed in such a way as one size fits all, from small to extra large. This helps to keep the need for a large inventory down; it also makes it simpler for wearers to select their correct size when in a hurry. It is very low in cost and easy to dispose of.
The term "scrubs" is thought to derive from the term "Scrub up". Prior to about 1918 the lack of understanding about infection control meant that surgeons did not take any precautions to prevent the spread of infections. They may have worn a heavy apron to stop blood from being splashed onto their own clothing, but that was it. As awareness developed of the possibility of the transfer of infection, surgeons started to wash or scrub up before conducting an operation. They may have also worn a gauze face mask as well, but this was more to protect them from breathing in the patient's own infection.
By 1940 greater understanding of aseptic techniques led to the universal use of antiseptic drapes and clothing along with the sterilization of instruments. Originally all surgical items of clothing were white, but as this colour showed blood and other stains pastel colours were adopted. Green to a large extent has been adopted as the colour of choice as it is easy on the eye.
By the 1970s, surgical attire had largely reached its modern state: a short-sleeve V-necked shirt and drawstring pants or a short-sleeve calf-length dress, made of green cotton or cotton/polyester blend. Over this was worn a tie-back or bouffant-style cloth cap, a gauze or synthetic textile mask, a cloth or synthetic surgical gown, latex gloves and supportive closed-toe shoes. This uniform was originally known as "surgical greens" because of its colour, but came to be called "scrubs" because it was worn in a "scrubbed" environment. Today this is still the most common form of scrubs as used in hospitals in the western world.
This process of wearing "DOCS" as a disposable over coat on top of the hospital scrubs is hugely beneficial in helping keep down the transmission of hospital infections.
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