To ask why all these nursing/care uniforms being worn in public?!

[GinDaddyRedux]

I'm not trying to start a flame war here about the importance of people's contributions or whatever. This is something that is genuinely getting my goat.

Twice in the last week I have gone to a supermarket, first for food, and then latterly for medicine for my DC.

Both times (which is perhaps a coincidence in itself) I have seen someone from a caring profession - one a nurse I think, the other a care home worker, wearing their full uniform out around the shop. At both times it was towards the end of the day (when I finish working from home) so it looked like it was the end of their shift rather than lunchtime.

My question is, why is this allowed and actively encouraged from what I see on social media?

I think the reason is clear - the uniform wearers enjoy the kind public comments and encouragement. It provides a visual identifier that they are one of the people to be clapped or whatever.

What gets me though is surely this is an infection control nightmare? Why are people not being asked by their heads of department to change at work, thereby limiting the chances of infecting the public?

For those who say you don't have "dedicated changing facilities" - do toilet cubicles count? I just am perhaps understandably nervous at the idea that the lady who walked right up next to me, no distancing, in full uniform in the cheese aisle reaching across for cheddar, is wearing the same clothing used to treat people who may have had COVID-19.

If this is unreasonable of me then fair enough, but I really think this is a "look at me" thing. It's a tough profession and it's nice to be thanked in public, but it feels like this is a potentially big price to pay for a bit of congratulation.

In my trust we have be banned from wearing uniform to and from work since lockdown.
We are questioned at the entrance if seen with uniform. It's a faff carrying it to work and getting changed, shoes included (we have no permanent lockers) but I totally understand why its necessary. I cant see it changing back now tbh.

Agree. I'm an agency carer, and we have been told in no uncertain terms to not wear uniforms outside of homes. Some homes are even saying don't bring agency uniform, they will provide us uniform that is to be put straight into their own laundry at the end of the shift.

My mum is a nurse and even at the best of times it's frowned upon to travel in uniform.

It's something of a pet hate of mine. It takes five minutes to get changed before and after a shift.

@BillywigStig and @BlackCatJourney thank you for sharing your real experiences and for the invaluable work you do .

I did find it a bit galling that I was roundly set upon by people who questioned my motives for starting this thread, but when you have real care professionals on here stating that their trusts or organisations have specifically asked them not to wear the uniform outside of work, then it just goes to show that this isn't a non-debate.

@QueenoftheFarts I put a post up a couple weeks ago explaining that I needed help to fix my washing machine because I was a keyworker and it was being used more than normal (I’m a care assistant) because if I was furloughed I wouldn’t mind just cleaning my clothes in the bath for a few weeks! But after a 12 hour shift I think that would actually kill me lol. But I have seen people say they are a key worker and need something done that can definitely wait until the virus calms a bit! But I have anxiety and needed people to know that I literally don’t have time to hand wash all my clothes lol

YANBU, in our trust you’re not allowed to wear uniform outside of work and that was the case pre-covid. It doesn’t matter if it’s the start of a shift- I drop DD off at nursery before work and if I was in my uniform it could get covered in god knows what germs from the other kids. The rule is to prevent infection being brought into the hospital as much as it is to prevent us bringing hospital germs out.

There might be odd exceptions if you’re working in the community and need to get someone’s shopping or something but it’s not something you should see regularly.

I Work in the community sector, exactly the same uniform as is worn in hospital- I need to eat lunch same as the rest of the people so yeah you may see me in the shop grabbing a juice/wrap or similar- there’s a big difference between essential and non essential shopping while your on duty. Although you may have seen a carer shopping- which is part of their role.
Would you suggest that police/shop workers etc change after their job- they have contact with people all day too who are not risk assessed or visited with appropriate PPE if needed.
I had a member of staff who was verbally assaulted by a member of the public for being in a shop in her uniform- management wholeheartedly supported the staff member being able to buy her lunch without having to endure abuse.
On the flip side when I worked in hospital setting I changed uniform before leaving the hospital every shift as that was procedure

What about ward clerks / receptionists? Unless you know what uniform they wear, you might just think they have chosen to wear a garish, patterned, polyester blouse. When in fact they’ve been on a ward of Covid patients all day.

My mate works in domicilary care. She shops for her service users.

Why should she wear a coat when it has been 25 degrees here to stop someone making assumptions? Fuck sake.

Not only is she working her arse off caring for people and risking CV she also has to cover up in public while doing her job. For which she gets little over nmw and is available 16 hours a day but gets 8 hours pay?

I'm wondering if some of the uniformed staff seen in supermarkets are actually veterinary nurses? The traditional vet nurse uniform is bottle green, but a lot of practices are shifting to navy blue nursing uniform. Although saying that, a lot of vets are changing their policies so that all staff (vets, nurses, admin) are only allowed to wear uniform in practice. This has come in since Covid 19.

I use to be a community carer and had to wear uniform out and about. I had to do shopping calls for service users and I had to stay in uniform. I'm very glad that it is something I'm not currently doing as a career, it would of made my anxiety go into overdrive with people staring, tutting and saying things such as she shouldn't be in uniform. Unless you've worked in the community as a carer or nurse, stop judging what you know nothing about. If you work in a care home or hospital then uniforms won't be worn outside of work, even before coronavirus, you are made to go to work in own clothes and change into uniform, reverse before leaving work. Policy.

What do you expect community nurses and midwives to do? Where are they supposed to change? They are wearing PPE all day long, you are more likely to have CoVid on your clothes then they are.

I work in the NHS, in the community, we ALL have to wear a uniform on visits/in public.

I have NEVER used my ID badge to gain preferential treatment in the supermarkets, I've queued with everyone else.

To suggest we wear our uniform to gain 'kind comments/attention' I find incredibly insulting.

You have made assumptions, terrible assumptions..

Shame on you and your mindset OP

If you work on the Community and wear a uniform then they will obviously be seen in public BUT people shouldnt be going shopping in their uniforms they should go home and shower and change. Not just because of Covid but because of the multiple things that uniforms / clothes worn for work could carry and transmit.
Anyone in hospital in uniform should get changed in work.

@Barryisland
But the evidence shows the uniform doesn't spread it. It's just another stick to beat community care staff with.

This is a hard job. We're tired. We'd like to have a caramac or pick up a steak for tea without people thinking we're spreading infections or trying to get preferential treatment.

Generally I'm just trying to buy a nice lunch cos I'm tired and couldn't be arsed to make an eat a Nutella sandwich.

There’s obviously some people are not willing to see they are wrong and need to read @LesbianMummies @Twogirlsonemom post again they are so right!

I’m a single mum.
On the way home from a 12 hour shift on my ward, I pick up a few groceries so I don’t have to go out again.

This is ridiculous, community carers/ district nurses have been walking around in their uniforms for decades, it's only because for a good few months you've had time to actually notice them that you're now thinking, they're wearing them for attention.

I'd always assumed it was so they would get "NHS worker" priority in the queue to get in the supermarket.

@MrFaceyRomford you have to show your ID badge

@MrFaceyRomford you don't need uniform for that, just ID.

I can't imagine seeing an NHS employee or care home worker in their working clothes and being too thick or unimaginative to work out any of the several perfectly reasonable explanations for it.

Instead, being mean-spirited enough to assume it's for the attention.

So many threads criticising teachers, shop workers and now nhs on mn right now. I'd rather be any one of them than someone starting a shitty thread making everything a little bit worse.

Do do you expect community care workers who get min wage and some rush from job to job and dont get some don't paid for travel in between to pop home and get changed if they need to get shopping for themselves (they do have a home to run too ) or customers. As people said its hot to wear a big coat. There is not enough time as it is. I know one that actually does shopping for the people she cares for in her own time ie breaks etc and days off as not given enough time in the actual calls to do it and these people don't really have family to help them.

Obviously wears normal clothes if on days off.

These were women that you took exception to them cavorting about in their uniforms, pushing to the front of queues and angling for attention then, op ?

Figures

I work in a hospital . We were told months ago that we have to wear our own clothes to work and back again and change in the hospital . It's a pain tbh cause you have to change at the end of 12 shift when you are desperate to get home but very necessary!