By Josephine Reid
Simply put, the original meaning of 'scrubbing' is directly correlated to cleaning, which personnel in hospitals do in between each task. This is a loose interpretation as to the why uniform scrubs are described in such a way. The insensitive verb definition is to clean something by rubbing, as with a brush. The noun form is the act of scrubbing, or a person who scrubs, according to Webster's Dictionary.
The word origin of 'scrub' is as follows: ME scrobben, prob. < Scand, as in Dan skrubbe, Norw dial. skrubba, to rub hard, akin to MLowG schrubben < IE base *(s)ker-, to cut > scrape
Scrubs in the medical context are a protective garment designed to be worn by the doctor, nurse, and others in the operating room. The garment was originally a gown. Uniform scrubs now include the shirt and pants worn by those who scrub in for surgery.The wearing of scrubs extends outside surgery in some hospitals and clinics. It is a fashion statement to wear scrubs outside, as to shop in a supermarket. Wearing scrubs has become a badge of the profession, like wearing a white coat or carrying a stethoscope.
The wearing of scrubs extends outside surgery in some hospitals and clinics. It is a fashion statement to wear scrubs outside, such as to shop in a supermarket. Wearing scrubs has become a badge of the profession, like wearing a white coat or carrying a stethoscope. Scrubs were once all one color, often blue or a mint green. Now scrubs come in a rainbow of colors and in floral,
Scrubs were once all one color, often blue or a mint green. Now scrubs come in a rainbow of colors and in floral, Aloha, and animal prints and there are scrubs for children. Scrubs are characteristically of cotton. Now there are also scrubs made of blends of polyester and cotton to maintain a wrinkle-free professional look with little fuss.
Uniform scrubs help nurses identify contaminants and bodily fluids, are inexpensive to replace, get cleaned using harsh chemicals and heat (often making them cleaner than regular clothing), protect personal clothing from being ruined and help identify nurses in the work place. Scrubs are great for helping medical professionals identify contaminants and bodily waste such as vomit, stool, urine, blood and other fluids or chemicals.
Depending on the healthcare facility a nurse works for they may be required to wear solid color scrubs like white or blue, however there are facilities that have less stringent polices that allow nurses to wear various colors and patterns.
