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.

I saw somebody in a nurse or carers uniform walking her dog in the woods last week, which I did find quite strange. No idea why you would want to wear your work uniform once you’ve been home to get your dog. Perhaps the idea was to do all ‘dirty’ things in those clothes before they were washed, but it seemed off to me. She also made no effort to stop her dog going over to other families and had to get within the two metres to fetch it back a few times. It’s bound to make other people nervous.

@stellabelle

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.

Yep. Same here, although we were allowed to launder uniforms at home, if we wanted to. I had a cape as part of my uniform (I'm that old) to wear when walking between hospital buildings. Definitely couldn't wear them outside of the hospital. District nurses had to wear uniform coats. It was drummed into us the importance of infection control.

It's no surprise that the likes of Norovirus, and now, Covid, rampage through hospitals if the staff aren't following the long established infection control procedures.

I completely agree with you OP. When I was in uni I worked as a cleaner in a local geriatric hospital in the hols. We weren't allowed to wear our uniform to travel in - we had to change in and out of it at work. The reason given was to reduce the risk of taking infection out of, or into the hospital.
This would have been in the early eighties, in Wales.

I completely agree, healthcare workers should change into/out of uniform in their place of work. I don't think its acceptable even if it is the start of thir shift or they are non covid facing, the public don't know that.
I dont think it looks professional. And those saying they might be community workers and shopping for clients i still think they should get changed if they're going out in public.

We are having to wear our own clothes to work and change when we arrive. It's an absolute ball ache as we have nowhere to change.

@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.

I was going to say the same thing. If you had to wear your uniform in public you had to wear a full length coat over it.

You know care is a 24 hour thing so people in the supermarket at the end of the day could just as likely be on their way to work as on their way home?

We are absolutely not allowed to wear our uniform in shops. That has never been allowed.

I run a home care service.My staff are Covid tested and we have had no cases of Covid amongst our service users, they wear full PPE over their uniforms when with a service user. They undertake shopping calls for service users and if you saw one in Morissons or Tesco they would probably be shopping in the course of their work. I have previously had no objection to them popping into a shop on the way home when their shift finishes at 2pm but in view of the abuse carers in uniform have been subject to I have advised them not to do this for their own safety. all our staff are fully trained in the use of PPE and infection control, it is sad to see people who have given so much over the last few months being criticised again.

Hmpher - the carer you saw with the dog in the woods was probably walking the dog in the course of her duties. Quite a few of our home care calls include walking or playing with a pet if their owner needs this done. I even have a dog medication chart for those animals that need drugs administered.

Whaaaaattttt !!!!
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

For those saying community care workers should change before shopping for clients or being in public. Where should we do this. In a bush? Behind a parked car? 😂😂 Lots of ignorant people on here today.

@Singinghollybob

I completely agree, healthcare workers should change into/out of uniform in their place of work. I don't think its acceptable even if it is the start of thir shift or they are non covid facing, the public don't know that. I dont think it looks professional. And those saying they might be community workers and shopping for clients i still think they should get changed if they're going out in public.

Where should carers get changed? My neighbours carer used a bicycle to travel between clients, should she be expected to strip off in public? Or carry a tent on her bike?

At my hospital there's a strict protocol (even pre-covid) that uniforms aren't to be worn outside the hospital. It's partly infection control (particularly at the moment) and partly staff safety as colleagues have been attacked whilst in uniform by members of the public who believe they may have drugs, syringes etc on their person. (As if we just wander round with remifentanyl in our pockets )
I'm always a bit grossed out when I see people in the shops etc in scrubs and other clinical uniforms.

@singinghollybob did you even read the thread? How many times do people need to say sone community nurses have no base, meaning nowhere to change?

Does everyone get up in arms about an Asda wormer coming home in uniform? I’d think they were harbouring more nasties than a nurse tbh as they don’t have disposable ppe when interacting with the public. Not that infection is spread by uniform as many many people have quoted, it’s just public perception .

You would hate me OP, I work in the community non NHS or care. I don't have a uniform. I am in contact with lots of people a day, not generally socially distanced either, it's not possible. But I remove my panic alarm and lanyard before nipping in to the shop on my way home. So you'd never know I've been in contact with 10/15 people that day 😳

I finish an hour before school finishes so go shopping then. My uniform is covered all day with PPE.

I agree, my DD works in a nursery and has strict instructions to wash her uniform at 60 degress straight after work each day, to go shopping in your uniform would be an infection risk.

My sister works in a pharmacy and has a uniform which I would assume is hospital but it isn't and she has no contact with customers. My cleaners also wear blue tunics with white trim and have a lanyard so could look like care staff but they aren't. So many scenarios.

Attention seekers lol really? Community carers and district nurses have no choice but to wear their uniform

Worked in a major hospital for seven years in a few different settings from A&E to Gastro, to Geriatrics and it was considered a very serious disciplinary matter to be seen anywhere in public in uniform and it always came from a concern over infection control. Nobody that l knew risked it as you did get in so much trouble it wasn't worth it. So much so that when outside the hospital we would often see carers in their almost identical uniforms even down to the exact shade for the different 'ranks' i.e. the nurses shade blue for the 'foot soldier' carers and ward sister's navy blue for the supervisors and the proprietor/manager wore 'matron' burgundy and would immediately know they were carers and not NHS nursing staff as they wouldn't dare be out in uniform. There is an element of 'some' people that relish being mistaken as such which did used to niggle us slightly. A colleague and l once overheard two carers in 'copycat' uniforms on being asked if they were nurses, going along with it and then lapping up the praise the two fellow passengers heaped on them. We could've been vindictive and corrected the whole carriage on exiting but cba'd. I really don't understand why care homes and companies are allowed to wear the same uniforms/colours as highly trained clinical staff it would make more sense for them to at least have to pick a different shade of uniform.

have previously had no objection to them popping into a shop on the way home when their shift finishes at 2pm but in view of the abuse carers in uniform have been subject to I have advised them not to do this for their own safety what a brave new world we are in. That's such a sad thing to read!

They may be on their break or shopping for a client