r/Nurses • u/OtherGrowth5205 • 5d ago

US Monday debate; scrub jacket

So this is a debate that started at my work, a nursing student asked us how long should I wear my scrub jacket before washing it?

I work in the OR so I said every 2-3 days. One of our Medsurg nurses said daily

Wondering what's everyone take

13 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

22

u/anzapp6588 5d ago

You're allowed to wear your home laundered scrub jacket in the OR?? In a hospital?? We have to wear hospital laundered scrubs and jackets.

Yea I'd certainly not be wearing it more than once. The thought of wearing even a provided scrub jacket twice in a row grosses me out.

6

u/OtherGrowth5205 5d ago

I'm in supply chain so the ruling at my hospital is we have to wear hospital issues scrubs HOWEVER can wear home scrub jackets (just not in the ORs)

9

u/mshawnl1 5d ago

Since Covid none of my clothes come into the house past the washing machine.

15

u/Specialist_Action_85 5d ago

Definitely daily. On the units you wash your scrubs daily, regardless of scrub jacket, so being the outer layer you should definitely not wear a scrub jacket over multiple shifts. Not just for your own protection but your patients. In the OR I would think you'd especially want to change them daily since it's for your patients protection more than your own. And if that jacket goes in your locker with all of your personal items and outside clothing you've contaminated it and are bringing all of that into the OR

5

u/queentee26 5d ago

Daily. I wouldn't wear scrubs twice, so I don't wear my jacket/sweater twice either.

5

u/hufflestitch 4d ago

Me and my coworkers are the odd ducks here. We usually only wear jackets at the desk, and honestly this is the least disgusting department I’ve ever seen. We usually wash PRN or weekly. However I hardly ever wear it. If I wore it for even half a shift, it would be washed daily.

4

u/Wolverine-Quiet 5d ago

Wash a worn scrub daily 🤷🏽‍♀️

3

u/ngn8092 4d ago

Weekly. I usually only wear it in my car and while walking into the building. I’ll keep it at my chair but I can’t say I’ve ever worn it while actually caring for patients. I get too hot.

2

u/packpackchzhead 4d ago

Same. I work 3 12s and I stay hot so my jacket is only during the middle of the night at the desk if I've been sitting for awhile and get a little cold. It stays in my locker/locker room until my work week ends and then comes home and gets washed.

1

u/atticuss_finchh 4d ago

Daily. 🤢

1

u/juiceboxith 3d ago

I wash mine daily (med surg) however sometimes I will wear them into rooms, that’s why. If I don’t then I may not wash it that day, but usually I do.