When it comes to thinking about what doctors wear in the hospital, there are a few items that come to mind. These include a white coat, a stethoscope, and scrubs. Coming from a scrubs store, many people are wondering what exactly scrubs are and why doctors wear them. There are a few points that everyone should keep in mind.
Scrubs are articles of clothing that are designed to be sanitary. They are worn by not only doctors but also anyone who comes into contact with patients in hospitals. This includes nurses, respiratory therapists, and numerous other healthcare professions. Scrubs started out as being worn by surgeons in the operating room. The goal was to come up with clothing that would remain sterile, minimizing the transmission of germs between patients and surgeons (or vice versa). Quickly, the medical community realized just how beneficial these articles of clothing were. Therefore, they have been extended outside of the operating room as well. They are even used by veterinarians and midwives.
Today, scrubs come in a variety of colors and patterns. While they are made out of a variety of materials, the overall goal is to make them easy to clean. In other articles of clothing, it is possible that not all of the germs or contaminants might have gotten out of the clothing in the laundry process. This increases the chances of passing germs from doctors to patients as they go from room to room. With scrubs, this is not the case. Scrubs are designed to be easy to clean, making them quick to sterilize and return to use.
In some situations, there is also color-coding for scrubs. Many doctors have elected to drop the white coat from their attire. This can sometimes make it hard for patients to differentiate between doctors and other healthcare professionals. Some hospitals have color-coding that requires certain professionals to wear certain colors, making it easy for everyone to differentiate doctors from nurses, NPs, PAs, and other professionals who might be involved in the decision-making process.
The good news is that there are plenty of options for those who wear scrubs. They come in funky colors, and patterns, making it easy for healthcare professionals to inject a bit of style and flair into their work. Particularly when working with children, it might be a good idea to feature cartoon characters and interesting prints that keep children comfortable and entertained. Without a doubt, the modern style of scrubs is different from what it was in past decades; however, they have also come a long way in their design. Featuring added pockets and comfortable material, scrubs have become a mainstay of the healthcare industry when it comes to patient care.