Any medical staff member that comes into physical contact with a patient and patient’s bodily fluids is required to wear scrubs for the purpose of hygiene. Traditionally, medical scrubs comprised of a short sleeved wrap style top and loose elasticized cotton pants, pulled on by doctors as part of the ‘scrubbing in’ process for OR.
These scrubs were meant to be worn only in OR so that the spread of germs and possible infections would be restricted. Nowadays, scrubs are worn by different medical professionals during their shifts, and don’t change into their regular clothing till it’s time to go home.
Scrubs Styles according to Medical staff members
Scrubs are worn nowadays by doctors, nurses, medical assistants, clinical assistants, nursing assistants, surgeons, anesthesiologists, dentists and other staff that work in a clinical capacity with patient cases. Hospital reception staff and administrative medical assistants wear regular clothing along with lab coats to indicate that they’re part of the hospital but they do not wear scrubs, unless required to do so by their employers.
Surgeons: Surgeons usually wear the wrap style or straight cut scrubs with short sleeves that won’t hinder them when they operate. They also wear straight cut, single top pocket scrub with half sleeves. Surgeons prefer scrub sets that allow them to breathe and can be easily put on and taken off. Since they wear scrub sets mostly while in OR, many surgeons prefer cheap or disposable scrub sets that can be thrown away after a long surgical procedure.
Consulting doctors: Consulting doctors mostly wear scrub sets along with a professional-looking consulting jacket either in white or in bold solid colors, usually with a handy breast pocket in which to store their stethoscope. These doctors wear their scrubs during patient rounds, preferring to dress in regular clothing when they see patients in outpatient clinics.
Nurses: All nurses are required to wear scrub sets all the time, and not just when they are in OR, or in ER. The type of scrub set preferred by a nurse depends on his or her work profile. Duty nurses can afford to wear good quality and expensive scrubs while clinical nurses and clinical assistants prefer cheap or disposable scrubs.
Dentists: Most hospital dentists wear scrubs when they perform oral procedures. However, private dentists wear dental lab coats over their regular wear, instead of wearing scrubs. Scrubs are great for hygienists or dentists because they can help maintain hygiene in a tricky environment.
