Scrubs are protective clothing worn by healthcare practitioners during various activities in the hospitals which can be clinics, theater, or ward rounds. Yes Medical students do require scrubs but not all the time.
Components Of Scrubs used by medical student.
Shirts, I recommend the ones with long arms for better protection
Long trousers.
Others that are not part of scrubs but other means of protection include:
- Face masks
- Google’s
- Gloves
- Protective shoes and others.
- Scrubs Are Very Important Because:
It protects them from diseases that can be acquired through contact with patients such as the Ebola virus disease.
It protects them from secretions that can splash such as blood, pus, and others. If a patient’s blood is composed of hepatitis B virus for example and the blood comes in contact with any cut surface on the body of Medical students that is not well protected. The student is at risk of contracting the virus.
It protects students and other healthcare personnel from infecting patients also. A health care personnel may also have some viral diseases that can be transmitted to patients if such personnel is not well protected.
Proper clothing prevents contamination of the environment, especially in theaters where surgical procedures are carried out
The normal body flora is prevented from getting contacted by other health personnel or patients generally with proper clothing. This is essential because a body flora that may not harm a person may harm the other person. Normal body flora has to do with microorganisms that are normal inhabitants of the body.
Generally, the microbial load is decreased when one is well-scrubbed. This helps in reducing the risk of exposure of patients and other health personnel to different forms of microorganisms that can be hazardous to them.
Despite How Important Scrub Is, It Is Pertinent To Note That:
Appropriate usage and care of scrubs are important to achieve hygiene and safety in practice.
Scrubs should be well washed and ironed before putting them on.
Also, it is essential to note that scrubs should be put on within the hospital where it is needed, usually there are changing rooms in hospitals where this can be done. It should not be worn from outside the hospital because of the risk of contaminants that may be carried from outside which can put other health workers and patients at risk.
Scrubs should be removed also before going home to protect the people at home from being exposed to hospital-acquired infections that can occur from microbes that are present in scrubs.
Microorganisms are usually not visible to the naked eye. It is important to be neat and cautious during various activities in the hospital.
Scrubs Can Be Of Great Disadvantages In The Sense That:
- If it is not used appropriately, there can be a risk of spreading infections to innocent souls.
- It can aid epidemics if health care personnel wear the same scrub to render health care to affected and unaffected people without taking necessary precautions.
- If not properly taken care of, there can be mixed-ups, a person may wear another person’s scrubs which can make such a person exposed to body flora that his or her body is not used to. This may or may not be harmful to such a person.
Recommendations
- All medical students should be enlightened about the importance of scrubs.
- Provisions should be made for each student to have his or her scrubs, possibly names should be inscribed on the clothes and trousers to avoid mix-ups
- Students and other health workers should be advised on the need to have as many scrubs as possible for ease of changing and prevent wearing scrubs that are not washed
- Students should be notified about the need to properly take care of their scrubs
- Appropriate usage of scrubs should be emphasized
Conclusion.
The importance of scrubs to medical students cannot be underestimated. Appropriate provisions should be made for all medical students and other healthcare practitioners to get their scrubs now for the safety of the healthcare workers and the patients at large.
Frequently Asked Questions.
- Do medical students have to wear scrubs every time?
The answer is NO because scrubs are majorly important during clinical and laboratory activities. Students that are not in the clinical years or not doing lab or clinical activities may not need to put on scrubs
- Will I get the disease if I wear my normal cloth for clinical activities?
There is a high chance because there is a tendency you don’t remove your normal clothes after clinical activities, hence you can put yourself and those around you at risk.
- Do I still need to wear a face mask after wearing scrubs?
Yes it is important to protect yourself from respiratory diseases and infectious aerosols
- Do I need to iron my scrub after washing?
It is good to iron because the heat generated from ironing can reduce the microbial load drastically.
