Attention! Infection Control Barriers - Do Not Remove From Premises!

 So I confess. I sometimes wear my scrubs to and from work laundering them at home, especially when I'm working nights. Through the years I've attempted a change in this habit a number of times but I always seem to gravitate back to the practice at some point. This morning as I was headed home, I overheard a hospital administrator who had spotted a poor post call resident heading out to the parking deck in scrubs saying, "I don't know why they won't just change into their clothes here before leaving!" My primal "haven't slept at home in several nights" alter ego started to pipe up, but I stifled him. Still, in my head the thought "when was the last time you spent the night in the hospital? Wanted to get home to your family, to your bed badly enough to not care what you were wearing? Once you've taken a trip around that block a few times, get back to me on your thoughts here!"
Much has been made over the years about the practice of wearing home laundered scrubs to and from work. I'm not talking about wearing them to Starbucks or the grocery store. Just to and from work. While there are strong opinions on both sides, I think that it's worth noting that there is no evidence that home laundering scrubs increases the risk of spreading infection. In fact, there are published studies in the American Journal of Infection Control 2001, the American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing 2004, and the Journal of Hospital Infection 2006 all of which found no difference in the rate of infection when comparing home laundering to facility laundering of scrubs. There is so little evidence that facility laundering is superior that the CDC makes no recommendation on the subject. It seems that we may be making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Hospital laundered scrubs are not comfortable. I know, I know, this seems like a petty complaint. But when you're spending a number of nights living in these things when the opportunity for sleep could come at odd times, failing to nod off because your garb is stiff and chafing is really, really annoying! A few times through the old Maytag at home renders them much more comfortable. But still not stylish enough for Starbucks, restaurants, or the grocery store!