For years now, there has been an ongoing debate, fueled mostly by a lack of hard data, about whether or not scrubs should be worn outside the facility’s walls, or even more so, laundered at home instead of on-site.
According to Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) “Recommended Practices for Surgical Attire,” scrubs are worn to “promote high-level cleanliness and hygiene within the practice setting.” Therefore, AORN does not recommend home laundering of surgical attire.
In 1997 APIC released a white paper Use of scrubs and related apparel in health care facilities. They noted in this review that despite the AORN recommendations and the “long-standing tradition of wearing scrubs in the operating room setting, no scientific data support the practice as a means for preventing transmission of infection.” We all know that surgeons go from site to site with the same set of scrubs on. A few years ago, I was at my daughter’s swim meet and saw one of my facility’s surgeons cheering his child on in our scrubs!
The paper goes on to say:
“Policies and procedures regarding identification of contamination and a process for laundering must be developed. If the employee owns the apparel and is responsible for its maintenance, reasonable conditions of cleanliness and the frequency of laundering may need to be established. To date, there have been no indications in the literature that scrub apparel worn home has been responsible for the transmission of infections of any kind.”
There have been a few studies that addressed this issue, but most of them are dated. One published in the July-August 1997 American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing conducted a pilot-study on infection rates when employees laundered scrubs at home and found it to be a safe practice. Another study published in the same journal in 2004, found home washing made no difference.
On the other hand, in 2008 the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) recommended against home laundering of OR attire including scrubs.
So, does it really make a difference to have your facility clean and maintain scrubs so they are not worn outside of the OR, or the building for that matter? Has anyone seen any evidence-based studies to support or reject this theory? Economically, it would save thousands of dollars for a facilitiy no to deal with these fancy supplied uniforms. How has your facility dealt with this issue? Medical Scrubs Collection offers a full selection . From Cherokee scrubs
Anyone wishing to attend nursing school must have a high school diploma (or GED). If you're reading this and you're still in high school, you'll want to take some courses that will maximize your chances of acceptance into and success at nursing school. These include algebra, biology, chemistry and physics, in addition to the standard high school English classes. Of course, every program is a little bit different, so you'll want to check with any nursing schools that you're considering attending to get their exact requirements in order to be prepared to apply. And you'll need to make the best grades you can, in order to demonstrate your capacity to handle the intensive level of academic study needed to get through a nursing degree program, which is fairly rigorous. Besides the required classes and grade point average, nursing programs are looking for people with temperaments suited to nursing. Personality traits like compassion, common sense, ability to think for yourself, ability to handle stress and maintain composure under difficult circumstances, a pleasant and affable personality are all part of the skills needed in a nursing career. And most nursing schools will require you to successfully pass an entrance exam that measures your aptitudes and likelihood of success in a nursing program and career.
Nurses
There are three different ways of getting a registered nurse degree, although the first two are by far the most popular. The first one is the traditional four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which is just like any other bachelor's degree, and is offered at traditional and community colleges. The second one is the Associates Degree in Nursing, which takes two or three years to complete, and is usually offered at community and technical colleges. The third option, which is much less common than it used to be, is the hospital diploma plan, where you actually study nursing for several years by working right in a hospital with other nurses, and with educators. This is sometimes supplemented with college classes in non nursing courses at a local community college. Of course, for LPNs, the requirements are different, as it usually only takes a year of study, and is rarely offered at hospitals or traditional colleges. You'll generally acquire an LPN certification at a community or technical college.
Many people who are considering nursing, and especially older people who are considering switching to a nursing career from their present job, are concerned about the costs of obtaining a nursing degree. Some think they can't afford to go to nursing school. But almost always, if you've got the aptitude and desire and skills to become a nurse, there's a way for you to pay for your nursing education. These days there are more and more sources of financial aid for nursing students, driven in part by the growing realization across the country of just how huge the ramifications of the ever worsening nurse shortage will be. Cities, states, businesses, colleges, and other organizations are starting to see that one of their biggest priorities for the short and long term future is to see to it that as many people as possible enter the nursing profession, or there will be dire consequences. This means that the bad news-the worsening nursing shortage-is very good news for anyone who needs help paying for their nursing education. So don't despair. There's financial help available, and there's more financial aid being directed toward nursing education every year.
Before we consider financial aid, let's look at some steps that you can personally take to reduce the cost of a nursing degree. Everyone, from high school seniors to people changing careers, can shave off a huge portion of the cost of a nursing education by attending a public college or university rather than a private one. Do this, and you'll be tens of thousands of dollars ahead right up front. While the costs of attending college are going up across the board in this country, the difference between the cost of attending a public college and attending a private one is huge, and getting bigger all the time. And it's very hard to justify the extra expense of attending a private college in order to earn a nursing degree. Nursing isn't like pre-med or pre-law, where you're hoping to attend an elite law or medical school, and graduating from a first class undergraduate institution can improve your chances greatly. No, for most students, the BSN or AA in nursing is an end in itself, and you don't have to worry about your school not being "prestigious" enough. So if you're concerned about paying for nursing school, you should certainly strongly consider attending a public institution, as it will be much cheaper. In addition, you should consider one that's near your home. Not only will you not have travel expenses, but if you're able to live with a spouse or your parents you'll probably be able to save on room and board. This can cut thousands of more dollars off the cost of a multi year college education. Another way to help pay for your nursing degree is to work while you're going to school. You can work part time and go to school full time, or work part time and go to school part time, or work full time and go to school part time. Millions of people do these very things while earning college degrees every year. If you're switching careers, you can possibly keep your present job while you go to school to make the transition into the nursing profession. Of course, there are individual circumstances which may prevent someone from attending a low cost public institution, and/or living at home, or working while attending school, but for many students, these three options are quite viable, and can mean the difference between graduating with all your bills paid, and graduating with student loan debt.
But let's say you're living at home, working part time, and attending a public institution, but you still need money to pay for nursing college. Or you can't work, or live at home. In these cases, you'll want to look into the many and varied sources of abundant financial aid for nursing education. The first thing you need know about financial aid is the main form you'll be filling out to apply for it-the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. You'll want to fill out and turn in your FAFSA as soon as possible if you're looking at going to school. You can file your FAFSA in early January, and the sooner you do the better, as financial aid is not unlimited. To fill it out, you'll need a few hours, your latest tax returns, some financial records, and a calculator. If you're under 23 and living with your parents, you'll need their tax returns and financial info. Do not put this off! When it comes to most forms of financial aid, it's first come, first served, so you need to get your FAFSA in early. You'll also want to check with the college you're planning on attending, as they may have one or more separate forms they'll require you to fill out for financial aid. Your FAFSA will be used by the federal government to determine your eligibility for being awarded a Pell Grant, and how much your award will be. Pell Grants are the best kind of financial aid-they're based on financial need, not grades. And they're grants, not loans, so they never have to be paid back. Award amounts range from $200 to over $4000. But funding for Pell Grants is a set amount, and the funds can run out from year to year, which is why it's imperative for you to get your FAFSA in early.
Another form of financial aid that nursing students should pursue is scholarships. Scholarships are just as desirable as grants, because they don't need to be repaid. Unlike grants, however, most scholarships aren't based on financial need (although some take it into account), and usually have some sort of qualification requirements. Also, unlike most grants, the vast majority of scholarships come from colleges, businesses, non profit groups, religious groups, and other private agencies. The best kind, of course, is a full four year scholarship that covers tuition, books, and room and board. These are tough to qualify for, but if you think you've got what it takes, go for it. It never hurts to try. But don't get the wrong idea-there are tons of scholarships available for nursing students, from all kinds of sources, and in amounts ranging from small to large. You'll first want to contact the financial aid office of the college where you intend to earn your nursing degree. The folks there are in touch with all sorts of organizations which want to help aspiring nurses, and they get paid to stay on top of these things. They'll likely have information on sources of scholarships that you're not aware of. Local hospitals sometimes offer scholarships for nursing majors, and the competition for these will be a lot intense than for a national or statewide scholarship. Also, many of the nursing organizations and resources mentioned on our website will have information about the availability of scholarships for nursing school. Some will even provide scholarships themselves. There are scholarships for minority nursing students, older nursing students, nursing students who plan to practice in a particular locale or specialty, nursing students coming right out of high school, etc. The internet also offers a great way to find scholarships. There are many websites which you can use to do a scholarship search, and some of them are quite thorough. And don't limit yourself to nursing scholarships only. There are billions and billions of dollars in scholarship money every year for college students in general, and you could qualify for one of these no matter what you're studying. Almost every major corporation funds scholarships for their employees or the children of their employees. Others have scholarship competitions open to anyone in the country. Religious and other non profit groups also provide lots of scholarship money to nursing students, or anyone attending college who qualifies. You'll want to get as much scholarship money as you can, since it doesn't have to be paid back. And don't ignore scholarships for small amounts of a few hundred dollars. Every little bit helps, and they can add up to a significant amount.
The third source of financial aid for nursing school is student loans. The biggest source of student loans, by far, is the federal government. No other entity comes close. Federal student loans come in two kinds-direct, and guaranteed. The vast majority are guaranteed, not direct. Direct federal student loans for nursing school are just what they sound like-the government writes a check directly from the US Treasury either to you or your school for your educational expenses. Indirect federal student loans come from third parties, but the government gives them quite an incentive to make you the loan by promising to pay them back in case you default. You may have heard of Sallie Mae-that's the largest source of federally guaranteed student loans in the country. They've helped millions and millions of people attend college by making billions of dollars in student loans every year. If you need a federal student loan, don't be shy about applying. You generally don't need a credit history, and because they're guaranteed by the government, even bad credit isn't a problem (unless you've defaulted on a previous student loan). It's best to not borrow unless you need to, and then only as much as you need, since you'll be required to pay back the loans with interest after you graduate, but if you need financial aid, student loans are a wonderful tool. With the excellent incomes that nurses enjoy, paying student loans back shouldn't be too much of a strain if you use discretion about borrowing.
There are several different kinds of federal student loans, but most of them fall into two categories-Perkins and Stafford loans. Nursing students, like any other major, are welcome to apply for either one. To apply for either, you'll need to have filed your FAFSA. Perkins loans are based on exceptional financial need, and funds are very limited. If approved for a Perkins loan, you may borrow up to $4000 per school year, and up to $20,000 total. Unfortunately, being approved for a certain amount under the Perkins program doesn't necessarily mean you'll receive that much, due to the limited amount of funds in the program. Again, this is why we keep stressing how vitally important it is that you file your FAFSA just as soon as possible after the first of the year. You'd hate to have the government agree that you have exceptional financial need, and approve you for a certain amount of money from the Perkins loan, only to be told that all the money has already been distributed. So get that FAFAS in early. One nice feature of the Perkins loan program is that the loans are subsidized, which means that as long as you're enrolled in school for at least half time status, the government pays the interest on the loan, which means you'll make no payment until after you graduate. Not having to make student loan payments while in nursing school is a great advantage, as it lets you concentrate on your studies and not worry about your finances. The Stafford loan program works a bit differently. For one thing, they're not based on exceptional financial need, so far more people qualify for a Stafford loan. There's also much more money available under this program than under the Perkins loan. You may borrow up to $46,000 to finance your nursing school education over the course of your study, if you're a financially independent student. You may borrow up to $6265 your first year, $7500 your second year, and up to $10,500 for your third and fourth years. A portion of this could be in subsidized loans, but not all of it. If you're a financially dependent student, you may borrow up to $23,000 over the life of your undergraduate career, with the yearly limits being roughly half of those for independent students. Between the Perkins and Stafford loan programs, along with grants and scholarships, most people who want to go to nursing school are able to afford it. If you still need help, or if your parents simply want to help you pay for nursing school, there's also the PLUS program. PLUS is funded by the federal government, and makes loans to parents of students attending college. One major difference between PLUS loans and the others is that the parents must have good credit to qualify for the loan.
Another option you may want to consider in order to pay for nursing school is a loan forgiveness program, or a loan repayment program. These programs are becoming more and more common, due to the growing nursing shortage. State, counties, and cities in some areas are desperate for qualified nurses. There are many areas of the country which are not just short of nurses, but critically short. To entice nurses to come to these areas and work, these government agencies are offering to pay back or forgive student loan debt. Details vary, but generally one year of student loan debt is forgiven or paid back for each year the nurse agrees to serve in the area. This is a very generous offer, and taking advantage of it can give you a head start on financial freedom after nursing school, by eliminating student loan payments, which can sometimes wind up being bigger than people had planned on. In addition, you get the satisfaction of knowing you're doing good, and helping people who badly need and greatly appreciate your services.
Nursing Scrub…………………..a blend of aesthetic and utility
Nursing scrubs or medical scrubs originated as a white cotton wrap, worn by surgeons and nurses. It might sound unbelievable, but until the end of 19th century, surgeons performed surgeries in the open and to avoid the blood stain they just wore an apron around. Not surprisingly, there were post surgery infections. From there it changed to a pale green color, a color that was good for the eyes and also hid the blood stains. With times nursing scrubs has changed a lot. Now we can find nursing scrubs in as many colors and design that we can think of. They are now designed for people’s comfort and style. Nursing scrub is not all about utility today. A lot of things are taken into consideration while design a nursing scrub. It has to allow the wearer enough space, while look beautiful at the same time. It has to create a perfect blend of function and fashion. The nursing scrub is also designed keeping in view the wearer’s taste in fashion and her want for quality in her scrub, and most importantly the fitting. Whether petite or plus size a designer has to take these things into account. The importance of scrub lies in maintaining hygiene and cleanliness, and for this scrubs are made of material with qualities that absorbs the sweat and the smell of the place. Keeps the wearer refreshed. Medical uniforms are worn in an environment which is clean and free of germs, hence the term ‘scrub’. From a long dress with an apron , the scrub has come a long way to include, drawstring pants, trousers, shirts and hip, flips and trendy shirts, that looks good and yet professional. Scrubs are to be worn within the hospital premise only, but some people don’t mind it outside as well. The scrubs is cleaned and disinfected in the hospital facility. While choosing a scrub whether a fashionable one or the standard white one, great care should be given. Some institutions and work place require you to stick to certain dress codes, like some private doctors and dentist want their staff to go for the same colors; you should follow the mandated requirement. However if you are free to choose then there are a lot variety available in the market, that offers latest trends and fashions, with colors that are both conservative and new, printed and even bright patterns. The designer brands of scrub market are Cherokee, Landau, Urbane scrubs, Dickies and a few more. They keep on bringing out their latest designs and hence keep the scrubs trendy. For the fans of the character Izzy there is The Katherine Heigl collection, to choose from. Others favorites in the list include the nursing scrubs with motosport themes, the nursing scrubs with fun and color, hip flip scrub with top and flexible panel.
Today, medical profession has become trendy, and the wearer conscious of his clothes and his looks. Doctors and nurses, has begun to wear their personality at work, which is good in a way, given the advancement in medical science, we wouldn’t want to them to stay behind.
In most of the hospitals, scrubs are worn by the nurses and the doctors. These are worn wore not only in the operating theatre, but also outside. Scrubs is a term used to refer to medical uniforms and these are usually a simple cotton short sleeved shirt worn with comfortable drawstring pants. Traditionally, scrubs were light green, but now scrubs are getting more and more fashionable and the preference of medical practitioners, nurses, support staff is for scrubs that are colored, printed and even in bright patterns. Being a medical member of staff in an infirmary is truly a tough job. Long hours, attending to patients and emergencies etc is stressful. This is why having happy medical scrubs are very important to this line of work. But some people don't like wearing the scrubs. Opinions vary, some medical professionals do not object to wearing scrubs or uniforms in the hospital, but some find it demeaning. In fact, since most of the hospital personnel are wearing the same sort of scrubs, it is hard to differentiate the nurses from a doctor or even cleaners. The worst is that some wear it outside of their work place. Till the end of the 19th century, even though it is hard to believe, surgeons actually conducted surgeries in their outdoor clothes, over which they donned a butcher's apron to protect from stains. In those days there were no operating rooms and large auditoriums like now, and surgeries were performed without any disinfectants and it is unsurprising that most of the patients suffered post surgery infections since the environs were not germ free. The instruments were not sterilized and hands were not washed. Joseph Lister changed all this with his pioneering use of carbolic acid, which reduced the number of post operative deaths, and then he began operating in antiseptic conditions. It was around this time that the benefits of a sterile environment in hospitals began to gain popularity. In the early 1900s, the nurses started donning white uniforms but surgeons did not start wearing special scrubs until 1940s. Early surgical clothing comprised of white cotton attire which changed into green clothing in 1950s. So we can surmise that green medical scrubs are a relatively new development. Now this is losing popularity and colored and printed scrubs are becoming more popular. If you search the internet you will find that there are many sites selling some of the best medical scrubs at a lower price. Some of the sites offer many trendy choices in medical scrubs. While they offer the more traditional styles, they also offer designs and prints with the wearer in mind. If you see today, many hospitals use a variety of colors to differentiate between departments, while surgical scrubs still continue to be primarily green. Pediatric staffs in many hospitals often wear scrubs decorated with cartoon characters. These help a lot in putting their young patients and their parents at ease. In some hospitals, they require medical office personnel to wear scrubs, too.
NURSE SCRUBS The world of nursing homes and hospital bears a bright and beautiful look today, as opposed the dull and the gloomy look, a couple of years ago. Thanks, to the ever exploring and the innovative ideas of the scrubs manufacturing companies. They are lot more appealing than it was ever. In regard to her scrubs, a nurse has more choices now, and can choose to pamper herself with an extensive collection of beautiful colors, designs and patterns that is available in the market. No longer is she required to compromise her taste and style in the scrubs she wears. The long shapeless dress has been replaced by a variety of a two piece out fit, there by replacing the discomfort with comfort. The stiffness and the constriction that prevented her from performing well is only a memory now. Her dress allows her mobility like never before; she can thus act fast and quick. Her performance is enhanced. A scrub is now trendier, and available in a beautiful array of designs and patterns. From cartoon characters, to pictures of animals, to floral prints including the traditional prints, she can select which ever she desires. Today she has an option of choosing the fabulous range of beautiful colors, colors which are traditional and modern as well. Plus, she has a lot variety of caps, shoes and accessories to choose from. Her job is not just about bills and pills now, She is also allowed to dress to care. She can dress her self professionally and yet beautifully. Her image is beautifully reflected in the scrub she wears. She can find it much easier to deal with the stains that often get in her scrub while working , because this new scrubs comes with a quality that resist stains. Her scrub has anti bacterial properties that keeps away the germs, and thus keeps her safe and secure. The good smell of her scrub, keeps her refreshed. Her shoes are a whole lot comfortable now. She is relaxed and happy to be at work. With access to the internet, the nurse can find beautiful and superb fitting scrubs, all from home. Many online retailers offer good deals, and she can sift through the web pages and look for the best bargains. However, it is recommended that while going to shop for a scrub, one needs to stick to the mandated requirements, set either by the employee, or your facility, adhere to the colors or the designs they chose. While selecting the prints keep in mind the working environment, if you work with children, then cartoon characters would suit the environment. And if you dont want your purse to hurt, then you can also go for cheap scrubs, after all, its the same thing, only at a discounted prices. Look online for some good deals; you will come across through a whole lot of clearance sales and promotional offers.
The beautiful and the professional appearance of the nurse just works right to add a zing to the hospital she works in.
Scrubs used to be white the color of cleanliness. Then in the early 20th century, one influential doctor switched to green because he thought it would be easier on a surgeon's eyes, according to an article in a 1998 issue of Today's Surgical Nurse. Although it is hard to confirm whether green scrubs became popular for this reason, green may be especially well-suited to help doctors see better in the operating room because it is the opposite of red on the color wheel.
Green could help physicians see better for two reasons. First, looking at blue or green can refresh a doctor's vision of red things, including the bloody innards of a patient during surgery. The brain interprets colors relative to each other. If a surgeon stares at something that's red and pink, he becomes desensitized to it. The red signal in the brain actually fades, which could make it harder to see the nuances of the human body. Looking at something green from time to time can keep someone's eyes more sensitive to variations in red, according to John Werner, a psychologist who studies vision at the University of California, Davis.
Second, such deep focus on red, red, red can lead to distracting green illusions on white surfaces. These funky green ghosts could appear if a doctor shifts his gaze from reddish body tissue to something white, like a surgical drape or an anesthesiologist's alabaster outfit. A green illusion of the patient's red insides may appear on the white background. (You can try out this "after effect" illusion yourself.) The distracting image would follow the surgeon's gaze wherever he looks, similar to the floating spots we see after a camera flash.
The phenomenon occurs because white light contains all the colors of the rainbow, including both red and green. But the red pathway is still tired out, so the red versus green pathway in the brain signals "green."
However, if a doctor looks at green or blue scrubs instead of white ones, these disturbing ghosts will blend right in and not become a distraction, according to Paola Bressan, who researches visual illusions at the University of Padova in Italy.
So, although doctors trot down the street these days in a rainbow of patterned and colored scrubs, green may be a doctor's best bet.
Scrub hats (scrub caps) have graduated from being functional to being a personalizable accessory both in the operating room and outside. Before the antiseptic focus of the 40's, hats were not considered essential to surgery. In the forties and fifties, as a hygienic focus swept the industry, hats became standard wear to help protect patients from contaminants in hair. Full-face hats were even designed for men with beards. These hats have been, and continue to be distributed by Group purchasing organizations (GPOs) who supply hospitals with most equipment.
In the medical fashion 'revolution' of the seventies, more and more medical professionals began personalizing their scrubs by either sewing their own hats or buying premade hats made of eclectic fabric. Several styles were popular, including the 'bouffant', a utilitarian hairnet-like hat, and the 'milkmaid', a bonnet-like wrap around hat.
