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.

This is an infection control issue. It’s possible to take lunch and drinks with you to work.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras there have been issues with dehyration in the past I don't deny. Often due to pitiful staffing levels on the wards and fewer student nurses to help. I trained in the nineties and there were literally 9 or 10 student nurses on a ward, some first years, some 3rd years, plus enrolled nurses too. Patients are sicker and older with multiple comorbidities, many medical interventions are now nursing ones. Nursing rightly or wrongly isn't like it was
10 years ago !
Re infection control I remember very little during my training about infection control other than hand washing. Nowadays we isolate anything that moves, 1 episode of diarrhoea you're looking at a side ward, multiple swabbing, chg washclothes....

There's a 'freelance nurse consultant' whatever tf that is! She claims to have had Covid 4 times and is suing the NH she has worked at for 'Covid injury'. Yet, she had long tatty acrylic nails hanging off from pre lockdown, has mobile hair dressers coming round and is totally unprofessional. Not all nurses are paragons of good practice.

@Dominicgoings

People need to differentiate between community care staff and registered nurses. Different jobs, different roles, different settings, different policies and protocols but frustratingly similar uniforms.

Absolutely.

Neither are all docs, physios, ots.

Nowadays we isolate anything that moves, 1 episode of diarrhoea you're looking at a side ward, multiple swabbing, chg washclothes....

Not from what I've seen as both a patient and a visitor.

i hadn't seen many uniforms before the pandemic but now they seem to be everywhere, it's like a new fad and for some it's probably 'look at me i'm a hcp i'm a hero'

and tske into account that the uniforms are mostly freely available and you don’t need to be a HCP to wear them

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras good practice and done for years at my hospital. Even have a diarrhoea management checklist to rule out causes other than infection. That's why sidewards on the general wards are like hens teeth because so many are isolsting due to vre, cpe and mrsa amongst otner things.

@recycledteenager24

i hadn't seen many uniforms before the pandemic but now they seem to be everywhere, it's like a new fad and for some it's probably 'look at me i'm a hcp i'm a hero'

Stop talking rubbish.

Most hospital staff aren't wearing their uniforms while on duty. They wear theatre scrubs which they change out of at the end of their shift. IF they're wearing uniform outside the hospital they're more likely to be on their way to or from work, or working on the district.

Care home staff are also wearing scrubs on duty in the majority of homes.

@recycledteenager24 stop being a tool, there's a dear.

@GinDaddyRedux let's not pretend you are being anything but goady and whipping the frothers up into a Mumsnet whirl of spite and vitriol.

[quote Shanghaisue]@Hearhoovesthinkzebras good practice and done for years at my hospital. Even have a diarrhoea management checklist to rule out causes other than infection. That's why sidewards on the general wards are like hens teeth because so many are isolsting due to vre, cpe and mrsa amongst otner things.[/quote]
It may be in your hospital but as I say, it isn't what I've observed.

My dad was in a busy for three days with a man with severe diarrhoea that nurses kept dismissing as antibiotic side effects - until it wasn't.

I would be absolutely delighted to change both before and after work the very second the NHS provides me with:

1. Scrubs that I can pick up near my office, in my size as soon as I get to work
2. A locker to store my clothes in during the day
3. A single sex changing room to change into and out of my scrubs

I don’t think those demands are unreasonable.

SimonJT and Iwantcollarbones
Maybe you could wear disposable layers, so you take the top layer off and throw it away when you leave someone's house

I know it's not practical to change whilst out and about, however there is an issue that, for whatever reason - practicality, cost, whatever, that people seemed to be more aware of and on top of in ye olden days.

So what was the cause then?

Maybe these health care workers are working in the community . This is so tiresome

Those working in the community don’t have changing facilities and so will sometimes have to combine a shopping trip with their commute and will therefore be wearing their uniforms. Most working in the acute sector or in a regular indoor setting will be subject to a big standard uniform policy which states they should change at work. This is for both infection control and PR reasons.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras, nutrition and hydration is taken incredibly seriously in most settings, post Mid Staffs, IME (though I haven’t practised for almost a year now).

I’ve always wondered this.

Genuinely not trying to be nasty. One of my best friends graduated last year and is a ICU nurse (now a COVID nurse). She wears her scrubs to/from work, we’ve even met up after work and she’s worn her scrubs to dinner/drinks at restaurants and bars. She gets the bus or taxis to/from work, doesn’t drive yet.

I always wondered why she doesn’t change out of her scrubs but never asked her. I just assumed it wasn’t necessary or else she would. Is that not the case?

Around my area there are lots of uniforms. Here, it is community carers like my Aunty they can often have 2 or 3 clients in an hour then a gap for an hour gap or something in which they will stay around the area until their next client. It’s a difficult job I don’t see why they need to make it harder for covering up for appearances sake incase someone might think they’re showing off.

Do you understand that paid caters often have to do the shopping for the vulnerable adults who they support? There are only so many times you can change in and out of uniform in a day.

Maybe these health care workers are working in the community . This is so tiresome

Yep. More people receive care/support from a community carer than are in care homes. Then think about district nursing, community OT, physio..

^ WhatWouldDominicDo

SimonJT and Iwantcollarbones
Maybe you could wear disposable layers, so you take the top layer off and throw it away when you leave someone's house grin ^

What, like gloves, aprons and face masks? Standard practice in my company.

@Browzingss

I’ve always wondered this.

Genuinely not trying to be nasty. One of my best friends graduated last year and is a ICU nurse (now a COVID nurse). She wears her scrubs to/from work, we’ve even met up after work and she’s worn her scrubs to dinner/drinks at restaurants and bars. She gets the bus or taxis to/from work, doesn’t drive yet.

I always wondered why she doesn’t change out of her scrubs but never asked her. I just assumed it wasn’t necessary or else she would. Is that not the case?

Exaggerating by far. Your not allowed to wear scrubs outside are you kidding scrubs?

She sat at the bar in her scrubs
& you didn’t question it or her colleagues as she left?