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.

[quote GinDaddyRedux]@SimonJT

Why is it always the way that if someone doesn't have the right facilities, the policy then gets thrown out of the window due to "inconvenience".

There's surely an obvious alternative to getting changed in the car here, but you need me to say it?[/quote]
How does someone who cycles get changed in a car?

There was someone walking round my local supermarket in scrubs last week, which I’d never seen before and I thought was quite strange- I’d have thought clothes from surgery would definitely not be worn outside (they weren’t dirty though).

i believe they shouldnt wear them outside.

My sister is a district nurse who has no option but to wear her uniform. She has two little babies and has worked all the way through this crisis. She always puts a coat over her uniform on the few occasions she has had to pop into the shop during shift but she has being picking up bits for palliative patients who have no one to care for them. She has been abused in the street. Called a disease spreader. She puts herself and her babies on the line. So if you feel like abusing these hard working nurses who are going above and beyond just don't!

Ah good. More abuse for the community staff and people who have spent twelve hours working their rears off in stifling PPE who then change into clean scrubs to travel.

Here’s a big clap to your face and a knife in the back. Another reason I’ve reduced my hours to bare minimum in the NHS.

My mum's carers do her shopping for her. It was 26 degrees here the other day. I don't think they should be asked to wear a coat, FFS

The carers, DN's and MacMillan nurses who helped me care for my husband must have been in and out of multiple houses a day. Expecting them to change their uniform for every visit would be nuts. And cut down on how many people they could help per day.

If there a tiny few attention seekers, what does it matter to anyone? No skin off my nose if they're a bit full of themselves.

My son just gone back to school and we've been advised they change out of uniform wash it and shower when they come home and other schools are saying no uniform as they want kids in different clean clothes everyday and there not working in a Covid ward , so I do them find it strange seeing a nurse or carer out and about in uniform before or after work , when school kids are being told to be so strict with theirs ?
( personally I don't change my clothes after ever time I've been out and shower as I think bit excessive )

It's alarming how many seem to be agreeing with the op. I wonder if they're the same people who were pushing the clap for keyworkers? I daresay they don't quite have as much to do as medical and care staff.

Some people like to look important. It’s a case of “look at me and how heroic I am”.

What a horrible post. Many care and healthcare workers will be seen out and about in uniform. Perfectly legitimately. I'm a district nurse in a major city. All on foot, cars not allowed due to congestion and parking charges.
I'm sick of the abuse I get almost daily. Enjoying the attention!!!!! Ha, people often literally throw themselves against the wall/road/bush just to get away from me. The comments can be spiteful.
There is a lot of community based health care. It is the way healthcare is going, in to the primary setting. We have a lot of very sick people who would historically been looked after in hospital. But now we are able to provide this care in people's homes.
There are many other community health and social care workers who you will see in shops - As they are doing their jobs.
I have nowhere to change to go home even if I wanted to. If I decide to stop for a few essentials on my way to collecting my kids then I will.
It's funny how so many of the public are expert on my infection control procedures. Me, a healthcare professional and my employer obviously know nothing.

I assume key workers in uniform know the risks and aren't stupid so I expect they have come from a non-covid line of work.

I expect these people are as concerned as you if not more about minimising the spread in their community so I doubt they will take unnecessary risks.

I don't like to assume the worst in people so expect that people keep their uniform for attention, more likely because they are squeezing shopping into their day.

YABVU and very unkind.

A friend is a group leader in a local carehome - they are not allowed to work their uniform on their way to work, or way home. both to protect the residents and the community.
Same for community nurses etc - they have to at least cover up or remove their tunic. I know that because one visits our elderly neighbour in the evenings, and they use our carport to change their tunic/shirt and wash hands afterwards. (we got chatting with them, and we are fine with them doing that, there is running water and its protected from view)

Some of the private home carers wear ‘nurse’ uniforms and part of their job can be to shop for their clients, and I have also seen them escorting clients to the shop to help them shop themselves.
Many community nurses do not do ‘dirty’ jobs so there is no risk to the public. However I can see that the public don’t know the difference , so I cover my uniform up.
The thing is that some nurses and doctors wear their own clothes to work, and no one gets uptight about that. There is no difference between a GP in their own clothes and a nurse in uniform that does a ‘clean’ job.

I'm a nurse in a nursing home it's company policy to not travel
In and out of work in uniform. As for you saying they want a pat on the back don't be so ridiculous I think I can speak for the percentage of nurses/ care workers all we want is a decent pay.

Just to add I don't believe for one minute people are put in their uniforms for people to look at them etc especially going round Tesco's most likely more wondering what to do for tea again
It's just weird we are told to be careful and wash our school kids clothes etc straight after school but then you see a carer or nurse
It just confuses as mixed messages

Stop being such a dry snitch OP.

You are aware that nurses and carers work shifts so the end of your day could be the start of theirs?

Surely that's worse. Potentially picking up germs etc in the supermarket and then taking them into hospitals.

I'm a community nurse.

You will have seen me at the start of my shift getting essentials (night shift)

I wear ppe in peoples homes. I have no base to get changed.

When I get home I strip off and wash everything at 60 degrees.

Oh and I've done it 3 times since the start of lockdown.

I've been working 60 hour weeks so sometimes the meal plan is fucked up.

Your post is horrible. If you said "I am worried about the people in health care uniforms in stores. Should they not be getting changed?" I could understand/sympathise with the concern and would be interested to read the examples of why this is ok.

Accusing those who are in uniform of attention seeking (even if a tiny minority are) is outrageous and very insulting to those who have reason to be in uniform or know they are not causing a risk in uniform. You sound like Katie Hopkins.

It's not actively encouraged - no one should be going into a supermarket in uniform whether before or after work. It should be well covered.

What a nasty judgemental post OP . You are definitely having a go at young carers who are earning shit money who have chosen to work rather than sit on their arses doing absolutely nothing with their lives . Can I just point out to you, their job might involve multiple home visits or if they work in a home/ hospital they will have worked 12 to 13 hour shifts doing stuff that would really give you something to stress about.PHE has actually confirmed that covering up uniform in public makes absolutely no difference to infection control. Carers / nurses/ doctors always wear apron and gloves with all their clients/ patients if involving close contact and that was the case before Covid19.
Instead of being so critical just be thankful that these lovely people do the job they do .

Back in "the old days" when I was a young nurse ( ie the 70's), nobody wore their uniform outside of work, for that reason . Infection control was a serious issue and our uniforms stayed in the hospital - we had change rooms and we threw our worn uniforms into the linen bin for laundering. The hospital laundry washed , ironed and sent them back to you , sterile and ready for the next weeks work. I don't know what is happening these days, but I'd say that standards have slipped.

@Jaxhog

I wonder about this too. When I worked as a nurse many years ago, wearing your uniform outside the hospital was strictly forbidden on hygiene grounds. We kept our day clothes in a locker. Not sure when this changed.

This. I don’t know when it changed either but healthcare settings do seem to struggle more with basic cross infection measures theses days and this is just one example.