Do You Need Healthcare Scrubs?
There are many reasons why people in the healthcare industry need to wear special uniforms, whether they work in home care, clinics, urgent care centres, hospitals, radiology departments, and other medical treatment centres.
For one, you don’t want to contaminate your favourite clothing, and another, patients and other healthcare workers need to quickly recognize workers if they need help.
Cleanliness is another factor, both when you put a clean uniform on at the start of the day, and for at the end of the day when you want to drop filthy health care scrubs in the laundry bin. The following day you’ll start fresh.
Here’s how healthcare uniforms have evolved over the years, whether it’s home care uniforms, or healthcare scrubs.
The Beginning of Formal Nursing
In the past, those who cared for others were those who became the doctors and nurses, without any formal education. They learned on-the-job, in tribes, huts, farms, and small towns.
When someone was injured or felt unwell, they’d head to these trusted healers for care and herbal medicine. Most likely these healers wore comfortable clothing, rather than the usual clothing of that era.
We’ve all heard of Florence Nightingale. Not only did she create the vocation of nursing, and started the first nursing school in 1860, but she also created the first regular nurse’s uniform.
We’re uncertain how these uniforms felt when worn, with their high necks, pouffy sleeves, and small caps, but they did take hygiene into consideration with their long white robes.
The small white caps were likely more a decorative symbol than offering any protection for the scalp.
The nurse had a “chatelaine” which hung from the belt and had some basic nurse’s tools.
This uniform evolved into the shorter nurse’s uniform that women wore into the 20th century. At this point, it was recognized that men could also be nurse’s too (and women doctors). Healthcare scrubs were created around the 40s, and commonly worn by medical staff during surgery, including doctors and nurses.
Healthcare scrubs were still worn by personnel in the emergency room too. Doctors in other medical settings continued to wear white coats, while nurses wore white dresses with that traditional cap.
Over time, the health care scrubs have evolved to be worn by almost everyone in a healthcare setting. This practice started in the 21st century.
The Importance of Simple Uniforms
The healthcare assistance uniform and home care uniforms also evolved around the same time. In the 1960s, the first scrubs were white fabric. Probably not the most practical solution, but one could quickly discern if they were clean or not.
After some feedback from people working in the white operating rooms, the staff said that all-white was a bit hard on the eyes. This was when healthcare scrubs started being made in other colours, such as pink, yellow, blue, and green.
Today, the majority of healthcare workers in all settings are required to wear these scrubs.
The Best Features of Healthcare Scrubs
Home care uniforms and medical scrubs are the same, the worker is just in a different working environment.
The healthcare top is always short sleeved, to avoid being caught on knobs or other objects. The pants are to the ankle. The shirts are v-neck so they do not confine the neck, and the pants have draw-strings to avoid annoying elastic.
Medical scrubs also include white coats/jackets, and gowns. This past century, health care scrubs have gone one step beyond and are also available in bright and colourful patterns.
These are perfect if you work with young children, or at a veterinary clinic.
The Comfort of Medical Scrubs
If you take a look at a nurse’s uniform from Victorian times, and medical scrubs today, you’ll quickly see which one will be good to wear in a busy medical environment.
The health care assistant uniform, or scrubs, is much more comfortable. The scrubs or top and bottom are also quick to put on, or to remove if you must change into a fresh set at work or at the end of the day.
Once your scrubs are on, you won’t notice them, unlike other types of clothing. You won’t be constantly pushing up your sleeves, because health care assistant uniforms are short sleeved, nor will you be tugging at uncomfortable elastic around your waist.
Medical scrubs are the most comfortable clothing to wear at work.
The Simple Care of Healthcare Assistant Uniforms
Medical scrubs, including tops, pants, jackets, and gowns are easily washable. They go in the washing machine with warm water and unscented laundry detergent.
After the wash cycle is done, the scrubs can be removed and put in a warm dryer, or hung up to dry if you wish. Since they are made from special 100% cotton fabric, they do not need to be ironed at all. You simply remove them from the dryer and hang up in the closet to avoid wrinkles.
Where to Shop for Healthcare Assistant, Nurse, Home Care, and Doctor Uniforms?
If you’ve just accepted a job offer to a clinic, hospital, radiology department, or other medical setting and need healthcare assistant uniforms, then please check out our website shop called Chameleon Scrubs .
By now you should have some guidelines on what type of uniform you need to wear in your department. (Some may provide scrubs if they are specific requirements.)
But if you are free to wear what you’d like, you can choose from our dozens of scrubs, both in solid colours, or in a variety of different patterns.
It’s hard to imagine how healthcare scrubs could be further improved, but we do know that there will be many more exciting patterns in the future. Please browse our Chameleon Scrubs UK website to see what we have available for sale right now.
You can also stock up on a variety of other healthcare supplies too. And check back often, as we’re always getting more assistant uniforms and scrubs in!
