BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Hospitals are known for their strict rules on cleanliness and sterile environments. A new report is shining a troubling light on one source of contamination inside medical facilities: the nurses and their scrubs.
Researchers at Duke University Hospital say that they studied the amount of bacterial contamination on nurses’ clothing during their work shifts. Of the 40 nurses the study followed, new bacteria was found on their scrubs 19 times out of 120 shifts tested.
“There is no such thing as a sterile environment,” said lead author Dr. Deverick Anderson. “Bacteria and pathogens will always be in the environment. Hospitals need to create and use protocols for improved cleaning of the healthcare environment,” the director of the Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention added.
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Of course scrubs carry germs on them, test any surface that comes in contact with a contaminated surface/subject and you will see that.
ReplyDeleteAlso the nurses wear them into the hospital from home. Who knows what is in your car, in air coming in your car windows, or that kid that sneezed on you in Walmart.
ReplyDeleteThat's why disposable gowns are needed anywhere in the hospital
ReplyDeleteMost hospitals have a system where the nurse scans their ID and clean scrubs are dispensed to them to prevent them bringing anything from home.
ReplyDeleteThis was known in 1880.
ReplyDeleteAnd they wear them outside the hospital and around town. Need vending machine sort of approach like Europe to make sure clean ones are readily available and prohibit them from being worn to the market, school, etc. The carry contaminants into and out of the hospital.
ReplyDeleteYou ought to check their shoes!
ReplyDeleteno offense, but being exposed to some bacteria is a good thing. part of the reason so many people are sick all the time is because of the germaphobia. depending on what area they work in, it may not be a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteOf course scrubs carry germs on them, test any surface that comes in contact with a contaminated surface/subject and you will see that.
September 6, 2017 at 2:51 PM
Why would you let any part of your body or clothing come in contact with a contaminated surface, other than the bottom of your shoes.
Everything you touch has germs, doesn't matter if you are in the hospital, at a restaurant, store, home, park, beach, they all have germs!
DeleteReally 358. Everyone comes in contact with contaminated surfaces all day long. Doors, grocery carts, gas pumps etc. Everything you touch is contaminated in some way.
ReplyDeleteThe disposable garment industry will take note of this and demand they get into every hospital and nursing home, raising the costs of healthcare for everyone.
ReplyDelete4:21 PM - not to mention the patients!
ReplyDeleteThey left out all the others who wear scrubs, the doctors, respiratory therapists, phlebotomy teams, etc., etc., including the cleaning staff, who carry the critters from room to room on schedule.
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ReplyDelete7:04 is accurate. Anyone and anything in the care continuum can be a source of infection, depending on the susceptibility of the patient and the particular germ.
Tough problem to solve.
Scrubs are not the only problem. While in the hospital I asked for my water container be filled when the nurse had a chance. She did only after emptying a bed pan and didn't wash her hands. She never gave it a thought. Wasn't done on purpose. PS wasn't peninsula but that wouldn't surprise me.
ReplyDeletea nurse wore scrubs more than once to work because she was too lazy to wash and too cheap to purchase new. I'm sure that happens.
ReplyDeleteThe worse thing is getting a hot nurse she walks in and that very moment you wished you excerciced, ate healthy and trimmed.
ReplyDeleteThis wouldn't be a concern if hospitals were clean and if people actually cleaned everything other than just the floor... But instead of doing that, lets just blame nurses... After all there are doctors who work at hospitals too, so I guess they are special and don;t have bacteria on them as they walk through he hospital...
ReplyDeleteUniforms need to be bleached, the environmentally conscience people are putting lives at risk. Bleach should be used to clean and wash hospitals.Keep a couple rooms for people with allergic or breathing issues.But bleach should be used on scrubs that's why nurses always wore white as well as doctors.Rooms should be also scrubbed and cleaned with bleach.
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