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Scrubs - Changing with the Times Author: Nancy G Thompson, RN BS  Nurses have always had very strong feelings about their uniforms. Back in Florence Nightingale’s time they were heavy garments layered with aprons and cumbersome to wear. The prevailing concern at that time was not only that a woman was working, but that she would become too blatant physically; possibly showing off a little arm or wrist. As Florence enforced her ideas of Infection Control, the aprons took on new meaning - that of protection from the bloody debris her nurses might encounter during the Crimean War. The uniform identified them as “Angels of Mercy” as they worked. The basic tenets of Infection Control and protection of the patient and nurse from bacteria and body fluids has become more and more important through the years. Nurses want to wear something practical, yet attractive, when they work. They want it to be durable, able to withstand assault from blood, body fluids, dirt and grime, and other occupational hazards. They don’t want to spend their free time ironing, and they don’t want to spend their entire paycheck on work attire. Enter the age of scrubs.
In the beginning, only specialty areas like Operating Rooms wore scrubs and they became an object of desire. Everybody wanted them, but the only way to get them was to have a friend “give” them to you from the hospital inventory. It became a status symbol to walk around downtown in scrubs, but that was really a no-no from an administration’s viewpoint. Then the light dawned…. We flash forward to today and see the revolution in the industry standards. Personalized scrub companies are here! Gone are the starched whites of the 19th and early 20th century, gone are the caps and the white hose and shoes. Individual scrubs in multicolored hues arrived. They are durable, permanent press, with pockets, without pockets. Elastic waist, zip fly waist. Round neck, V neck. Matched with a jacket, or worn alone. They have long since replaced the old “whites,“ and as our population blossomed with Baby Boomers seeking self expression, the Age of Scrubs was born. Today’s culture encourages freedom of expression, and exchanging colorful scrubs for the old fashioned white blandness has been embraced by hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, dentists, and most any specialty of which you can think. The organization may select a few patterns or colors to signify their corporation; kind of a “brand” identity. Or, the choice may be left to the individual. Today’s health care providers, male or female, can choose something that reflects their lifestyle and/or area of expertise. Pediatric practitioners may wear superheroes, cartoons, or other colorful patterns to please and interest the children. Veterinarian personnel may wear animal caricatures, jungle scenes, or forests. ICU nurses may like the needle and syringes, stethoscopes and thermometer patterns. There is no limit to the imagination! If you love the Caribbean, as I do, you can wear flamingos, palm trees, and tropical oceans. An award winning equestrian friend of mine wears nothing but horses. I used to be an angel freak and had hordes of angel scrubs, cherubs, cartoons, watercolors - you name it, and I had it! There is no limit to the imagination! That’s the glory of scrubs in today’s world. We can express ourselves and be professional at the same time, and our choice of color, fabric, pattern, and scrubs style makes each one of us special. I think Florence would approve. Author: Nancy G Thompson, RN BS  Related Articles
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