Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Community > MacNN Lounge > Wearing medical scrubs in public

Wearing medical scrubs in public (Page 2)
Thread Tools
Mister Elf
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 12:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
In Iraq, we'd remove the name tape and, often, the rank, when we were "outside the wire" or working around non-Coalition forces.
From what I hear that's fairly standard with the lovely new Velcro-ized uniforms the Army's wearing these days (thoughts? I'm interested). I believe that Marines rarely wear rank insignia in the field as well.
Midshipman 3/C, USNR
     
skipjack
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 04:12 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
You have no idea what you're talking about. Those military people are part of your community, so why should they NOT use the grocery store on the way home from their duty day? At least you notice them, which is saying something. Calling a duty uniform a "militarist costume" is an affront to every single GI who has voluntarily worn a uniform and defended his or her country in the face of imminent danger. I wore a uniform for over 23 years, and was proud to defend even the idiots who would rather have safe and comfy tyranny (like that ever really happens) than uncomfortable freedom.

Your lack of respect for people who face down "brown people" whose aim is to physically destroy them and everything they stand for (like your right to voice your opinion of them) is discouraging. Maybe if you actually had a clue about what you're talking about it might make a difference...

Yes, you got me started. On the eve of Memorial Day of all days, don't you think you might just consider how many people have died just so you can be rude about their sacrifice?
While most people praised you for your restraint, there is a point to what the original poster wrote. In many countries, people are not used to seeing military personnel in battle dress in the general population. To give an example in the extreme, we are not in Israel, where it is normal to see soldiers with arms riding on public transportation.

Most services have made it a point to distinguish between a dress uniform (not necessarily a formal dress uniform) that is acceptable to be worn in public at all times and a working uniform, which is not. That is not to say that the policy is uniform throughout the services since some services allow personnel to wear the working uniform to and from off base housing, but not make any stops, and others do not have that restriction.

So, in the past, there has been a precedent for the appearance that the military wanted to present to the public. Perhaps that ideal was changed, first by those who ignored the rules because they didn't care, or by those who wanted to be seen in a uniform they believed would impress others, and also in the specific case where recruiting commands allowed personnel to be seen on school campuses in recognizable camouflaged fatigues rather than the traditional dress uniforms that people no longer recognize.

I can understand why some people would not appreciate seeing service people in battle dress in public when it previously had not been allowed. Some people might be reminded of dictatorships such as Franco's Spain where soldiers were a common sight in addition to the police services. Others might not want to be reminded that we are at war.

But for the modern generation, I suppose it should be accepted as commonplace and your anger would then be justified. Even the Air Force within the past 10 or so years went away from having airmen in some kind of dress uniform staffing security checkpoints to airmen in fatigues (of course now they use civilian security forces). So, I guess times have changed. I suppose my point is that it has not always been that way and perhaps the military was more sensitive in the past that some people might be offended. And really, seeing that our society right now is so politically correct that we don't want to offend anyone, once we enter the next peacetime period, I would expect that things would swing toward the previous policy.
     
red rocket
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 05:47 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
You have no idea what you're talking about. Those military people are part of your community, so why should they NOT use the grocery store on the way home from their duty day? At least you notice them, which is saying something. Calling a duty uniform a "militarist costume" is an affront to every single GI who has voluntarily worn a uniform and defended his or her country in the face of imminent danger. I wore a uniform for over 23 years, and was proud to defend even the idiots who would rather have safe and comfy tyranny (like that ever really happens) than uncomfortable freedom.

Your lack of respect for people who face down "brown people" whose aim is to physically destroy them and everything they stand for (like your right to voice your opinion of them) is discouraging. Maybe if you actually had a clue about what you're talking about it might make a difference...

Yes, you got me started. On the eve of Memorial Day of all days, don't you think you might just consider how many people have died just so you can be rude about their sacrifice?
They are NOT defending my country from imminent danger. Britain isn’t under threat, certainly not the kind that should be combated via invading foreign countries against international law and the will of the people. If anything, British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is making me LESS safe. Nothing to be grateful for, nothing to respect.
     
Gankdawg
Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Pacific Northwest
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 08:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
I saw a few guys on campus early in the year wearing shorts, tees and sandals on a day when we had quite a cold snap.
I wear shorts year round. Just not a fan of how pants fit.
     
Chuckit
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 09:32 AM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
They are NOT defending my country from imminent danger. Britain isn’t under threat, certainly not the kind that should be combated via invading foreign countries against international law and the will of the people. If anything, British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is making me LESS safe. Nothing to be grateful for, nothing to respect.
These soldiers are not the ones making those calls. If there's a uniform you don't want to see in public because of your country's political stances, it ought to be the suits that your nation's leaders wear. The military uniform shows willingness to serve your country, and if the men wearing that uniform are being taken from their families and put in harm's way for no good reason, they are as much the victims here as anybody — you should have compassion for them, not hate. Save your contempt for the people who chose to start a war.
( Last edited by Chuckit; May 26, 2008 at 09:39 AM. )
Chuck
___
"Instead of either 'multi-talented' or 'multitalented' use 'bisexual'."
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 09:47 AM
 
Originally Posted by skipjack View Post
While most people praised you for your restraint, there is a point to what the original poster wrote. In many countries, people are not used to seeing military personnel in battle dress in the general population. To give an example in the extreme, we are not in Israel, where it is normal to see soldiers with arms riding on public transportation.
Because the Department of Defense considers all DoD elements to be on a war footing, the normal daily uniform for almost EVERY GI is a "utility" uniform. This happens to be a "combat" uniform.

While nominally "combat" uniforms, these are the only non-dress uniform the troops have. There is no "getting dirty doing mundane things" uniform, no "wear this so people won't realize that you and your service consider you to be a member of the ARMED forces", nothing like that. It's either a dress uniform (which most people in the services don't wear much due to their duties) or a combat uniform.

If anyone is considering that troops change before venturing outside the confines of a Stateside base, I'd recommend that they think about how well that would go over with people who are already working 12-14 hour days. Bearing in mind that these people are making you actually think about the sacrifices they (and their families) are making on a daily basis, I would feel inclined to say "oh yeah, there's a war on." As in "that's why there's all this crap in the news about a war..." And maybe, just maybe think about how some people act altruistically because they WANT to serve.

Whether you're for or against the war, taking your political feelings and prejudices out on people who are willing to sacrifice their lives for you whether you like it or not is highly insulting. Tell the freakin' politicians that you don't like the war. Then go thank one of those people whose clothing makes you uncomfortable for their efforts and sacrifices. And maybe donate to The Fisher House charities so that when those GIs come back all broken, burned and battered, their families can be near them while they recover in a hospital here at home.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 09:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
They are NOT defending my country from imminent danger. Britain isn’t under threat, certainly not the kind that should be combated via invading foreign countries against international law and the will of the people. If anything, British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is making me LESS safe. Nothing to be grateful for, nothing to respect.
Angry much ?

How about you move to a country where you would be completely safe from these kinds of things.

Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, or Monaco come to mind.

-t
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 10:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by Chuckit View Post
These soldiers are not the ones making those calls. If there's a uniform you don't want to see in public because of your country's political stances, it ought to be the suits that your nation's leaders wear. The military uniform shows willingness to serve your country, and if the men AND WOMEN wearing that uniform are being taken from their families and put in harm's way for no good reason, they are as much the victims here as anybody — you should have compassion for them, not hate. Save your contempt for the people who chose to start a war.
Fixed and emphasized.

No person in uniform ever WANTS to go into combat. Nobody. Never. But we who serve and have served feel that it is our duty to defend our nation against aggression wherever it may be committed.

Red rocket, YOU may not see an imminent threat, but I assure you that many such threats exist. Some are more imminent than others, some are more serious than others, but they exist and have existed at least since the late 1940s. The cost of freedom is constant vigilance; you won't do it, so someone else must.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
maxintosh
Mac Elite
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York, NY
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 10:06 AM
 
I wish I could wear scrubs all day. Most comfortable uniform ever!
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 10:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by maxintosh View Post
I wish I could wear scrubs all day. Most comfortable uniform ever!
My wife is an RN in a neonatal intensive care unit, and she and her coworkers all say that taking care of the babies is the best part of their jobs, but doing it in "pajamas" is the second best part.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
James L
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 11:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
They are NOT defending my country from imminent danger. Britain isn’t under threat, certainly not the kind that should be combated via invading foreign countries against international law and the will of the people. If anything, British military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan is making me LESS safe. Nothing to be grateful for, nothing to respect.
Really?

68 people from the United Kingdom were killed on Sept 11th, 2001.

How about the London tube bombings on July 7th, 2005 that killed 52 people and injured 600 or 700 people?

How about the United Kingdom being on the al-Qaeda hit list?

Sorry, but your country IS under attack, and has been since, or before, Sept 11th.

Afghanistan was a direct retaliation against the terrorists who attacked on Sept 11th. There were direct links, and destroying terrorist training camps and removing a regime that supported and funded the terrorists was a just cause in my opinion. I am proud that my nations soldiers are over there still. Oh, and Afghanistan was not invaded against international law.

Iraq... well personally I think Iraq is a crock of a war. it is crap, in my opinion. But,even though I feel Iraq is an unjust war, I would NEVER target my ill feelings towards that war on the soldiers who serve. Anyone who is willing to give up their personal safety to serve their country gets nothing but praise and respect from me. If I am unhappy with where my soldier's are sent, I will direct my displeasure at the politicians who sent them.
( Last edited by James L; May 26, 2008 at 12:00 PM. )
     
James L
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 11:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
My wife is an RN in a neonatal intensive care unit, and she and her coworkers all say that taking care of the babies is the best part of their jobs, but doing it in "pajamas" is the second best part.


I had an emerg nurse say that to me the other night. We had brought in a major trauma, and I was getting cleaned up after the call. She watched me put new gloves in my belt pouch, clean my scissors, clean some ugly stuff off of my heavy boots, put my radio back on my belt, put my coat back on etc. She looked at her light scrubs and comfy shoes and just smiled at me.

     
design219  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 01:11 PM
 
So, from what I'm hearing, medical scrubs are a uniform and not to do with sanitation in a medical environment. If that is the case, I'll be a little more understanding of the medical professionals when I see them in public, but I honestly didn't think that was their function.
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
keep up with the ever updating iOS. RIP Nesen Probe.
     
James L
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 02:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by design219 View Post
So, from what I'm hearing, medical scrubs are a uniform and not to do with sanitation in a medical environment. If that is the case, I'll be a little more understanding of the medical professionals when I see them in public, but I honestly didn't think that was their function.
Basically. A nurse may wear scrubs at work, but may put on hat, face mask, gown, gloves, booties etc over the scrubs for actual procedures. Plus, if their original scrubs got dirty they can put on new ones. Someone you see at the Subway across the street from the hospital in scrubs may have just put them on 10 minutes ago, may have been wearing them all day but not directly involved in messy procedures, or may have had them covered during procedures.

Plus there are all the other people like porters, cleaning staff, unit clerks, technicians, etc who may also wear scrubs while at work in a hospital.

In other words, it ain't no big thing. If they have blood, vomit, feces etc on them while in the line up at the bank feel free to say something then.

     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 04:28 PM
 
I think "porters" are now referred to as "technicians." It's a personal thing. Anyway, James is right; it's a uniform just as much as the green shirt the guy behind the counter at Subway is wearing. "Real" scrubs (usually plain green or blue and profusely marked with the name of a hospital or medical center) may be worn from time to time, but generally not anywhere outside the facility. Those are what some doctors might change into when coming in to do a procedure, or what a nurse might change into after the baby yacks all over her "uniform" scrubs.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Face Ache
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jul 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 26, 2008, 07:59 PM
 
Here's a pic of someone in "theatre blues" with someone "scrubbing up" (washing their hands very well and putting on a sterile gown and gloves).



Only "scrubbed up" staff are sterile enough to perform surgery. Someone in "theatre blues" wishing to leave theatres should wear a non-sterile surgical gown over their blues, and plastic overshoes over their theatre shoes (which should never be used outside as regular shoes). The idea being that "blues" aren't sterile, but they are reasonably clean.

I don't know what the US definition of "scrubs" is, and where the "scrubbing" enters into it.



edit: I guess anyone wearing theatre clothes (scrubs?) outside, who isn't wearing a gown and overshoes, probably doesn't work in theatres.
( Last edited by Face Ache; May 26, 2008 at 08:10 PM. )
     
red rocket
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 04:32 AM
 
Originally Posted by Chuckit View Post
These soldiers are not the ones making those calls. If there's a uniform you don't want to see in public because of your country's political stances, it ought to be the suits that your nation's leaders wear. The military uniform shows willingness to serve your country, and if the men wearing that uniform are being taken from their families and put in harm's way for no good reason, they are as much the victims here as anybody — you should have compassion for them, not hate. Save your contempt for the people who chose to start a war.
Serving my government, you mean. The ‘I’m just following orders’ argument does not suddenly turn people who have willingly signed on to go and kill wherever and whomever the politicians tell them to into victims.
     
red rocket
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 05:05 AM
 
Originally Posted by James L View Post
Really?

68 people from the United Kingdom were killed on Sept 11th, 2001.

How about the London tube bombings on July 7th, 2005 that killed 52 people and injured 600 or 700 people?

How about the United Kingdom being on the al-Qaeda hit list?

Sorry, but your country IS under attack, and has been since, or before, Sept 11th.

Afghanistan was a direct retaliation against the terrorists who attacked on Sept 11th. There were direct links, and destroying terrorist training camps and removing a regime that supported and funded the terrorists was a just cause in my opinion. I am proud that my nations soldiers are over there still. Oh, and Afghanistan was not invaded against international law.

Iraq... well personally I think Iraq is a crock of a war. it is crap, in my opinion. But,even though I feel Iraq is an unjust war, I would NEVER target my ill feelings towards that war on the soldiers who serve. Anyone who is willing to give up their personal safety to serve their country gets nothing but praise and respect from me. If I am unhappy with where my soldier's are sent, I will direct my displeasure at the politicians who sent them.
Why do you think 9/11 happened? It was a direct response to American Middle East policy.

Why do you think the London tube bombings happened? They were a direct response to Britain’s part in the Iraq adventure.

People should know by now to what theatres both the British and the American government are sending their troops. Anyone who has enlisted in the past six years or so should have been aware of where they’d likely be going, and can reasonably have been expected to take that into account before signing on. As for the ones already in the system, if they’re unhappy about where they’re sent, they can resign their commissions or desert. If they don’t and continue to just go along with what they’re told, they are effectively endorsing the government’s policies.

If we’re to hold politicians accountable, we should do the same with soldiers. They’re both paid with my taxes.

I remember IRA bombings. Also a direct consequence of British military presence in Northern Ireland. Then, as now, soldiers were the visible frontline component of governmental policies of aggression against other people. For a wide variety of reasons, there just so happen to be lots of people who are opposed to these elements swaggering around in the streets, demanding respect for being Statist tools of destruction.
     
design219  (op)
Professional Poster
Join Date: Oct 2004
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 07:47 AM
 
Can you take this to the PL! Start a new thread. Stop derailing this one.
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
keep up with the ever updating iOS. RIP Nesen Probe.
     
Stegabot
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Chicago,IL, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 07:40 PM
 
Design219
I wear scrubs for a living and I find them very comfortable and unless my scrubs become grossly contaminated or I spent much time with a patient with an infectious disease , I wear them on my way back home by bus and a lot of nurses do that because changing into civvies also would mean additional clothing to launder . Nurses and other health professionals who wore scrubs to and from work have no time to impress other people ,all we care about we do our job to the best of our ability and go home .
Computers are tools that we use and are the extension of our brains,not the other way around.
     
climber
Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Pacific NW
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 08:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
Why do you think 9/11 happened? It was a direct response to ....
Thanks for for your wonderful insight on US foreign politics. at least you did not bag on the soldiers on Memorial day in a thread about something completely different. Oh wait, you did.

On a related note, what do you wear to work on your way back and forth to Walmart?
climber
     
tie
Professional Poster
Join Date: Feb 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 08:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by James L View Post
Iraq... well personally I think Iraq is a crock of a war. it is crap, in my opinion. But,even though I feel Iraq is an unjust war, I would NEVER target my ill feelings towards that war on the soldiers who serve. Anyone who is willing to give up their personal safety to serve their country gets nothing but praise and respect from me. If I am unhappy with where my soldier's are sent, I will direct my displeasure at the politicians who sent them.
They are certainly serving our country and deserve a lot of respect for that. Red rocket's point was that they are not necessarily defending our country. This is also true. The war in Iraq has nothing to do with defending the US, certainly. But we and our representatives are the ones who sent them to Iraq, so the most obvious person to blame is in the mirror, not the soldiers.
The 4 o'clock train will be a bus.
It will depart at 20 minutes to 5.
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 10:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by red rocket View Post
Serving my government, you mean. The ‘I’m just following orders’ argument does not suddenly turn people who have willingly signed on to go and kill wherever and whomever the politicians tell them to into victims.
If you don't like the fact that there is a military organization that is there to keep people from blowing YOU up, then take it up with your government. THIS IS NOT THE PL. Stop with the political crap now.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 27, 2008, 10:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by tie View Post
They are certainly serving our country and deserve a lot of respect for that. Red rocket's point was that they are not necessarily defending our country. This is also true. The war in Iraq has nothing to do with defending the US, certainly. But we and our representatives are the ones who sent them to Iraq, so the most obvious person to blame is in the mirror, not the soldiers.
Actually there is plenty to indicate that they ARE defending U. S. interests, such as working to stabilize a central area in a region where so much of the world's oil comes from. And since we created the power vacuum that attracted all the insurgents, it's sort of our responsibility to do something about them.

NO MORE POLITICS IN THIS THREAD.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
skipjack
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 01:41 AM
 
This is not meant to be political, but if you consider it such, delete it as you wish.

Obviously, the beliefs of "red rocket" must be known because without that background, I wouldn't have reacted with such outrage.

People probably don't want to go in this direction, but, along with the discussion on military uniforms, this thought occurs to me:

Obviously most people in this thread consider wearing the subject clothing to be acceptable. But is it condoned? Is there an official policy?

It is understandable why people would like to wear hospital clothing in public. I'm sure the reasons are obvious, which is why they also might be popular with some people not in the medical profession, just as others clothe themselves in garb they associate with the military.

ghporter, 26 May 2008:
"While nominally "combat" uniforms, these are the only non-dress uniform the troops have. There is no "getting dirty doing mundane things" uniform, no "wear this so people won't realize that you and your service consider you to be a member of the ARMED forces", nothing like that. It's either a dress uniform (which most people in the services don't wear much due to their duties) or a combat uniform."

This quote interests me because, in my experience, it is not true. For example, for the general enlisted person in the Navy, the dress uniform is the "crackerjack" or "sailor suit" which is the specified uniform for public contact in an official capacity. There is the blue, dungeree, "prison" uniform, green construction uniform, blue or green coveralls which are specified for everyday work, and are not allowed in public (i.e., off base). There is the less formal, white version of the "sailor suit", an all white uniform with an open collar and short sleeves, and an all black "Gestapo" uniform with a black tie, and these are considered acceptable for wear in public.
A Navy enlisted who is required to wear a working uniform* must change out of that uniform when leaving the base. There is an exception in more relaxed commands which allows the wearing of those uniforms to and from off base housing, as long as no stops are made. (As might be expected, at these relaxed commands, there is a debate as to whether fast food drive-through places are allowed or not allowed.)
As far as I know, the Marines, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard all have their equivalent of the uniform that is not meant for dirty work but is not the formal dress uniform. (Actually, contrary to my original post, what I am describing are considered to be working uniforms, just not for dirty work.)

The only exceptions I know to this policy are in the recruiting command. As a Navy recruiter, I would be required to wear the dress ("crackerjack") uniform whenever visiting a school campus, without exception. Likewise the Marines wear their parade dress in the same situation. Admittedly, there is a recognition factor, at least for the Navy, since probably no one would recognize the other uniforms other than the "prison" uniform. About 10 or 15 years ago, this policy no longer applied to Army or Air Force, who started appearing on campuses in desert camouflage as the seemingly preferred, authorized dress. I know that recruiters are generally independent and out on their own and ignore these requirements (but never by wearing "dirty work" uniforms).

As with everything in the military, there are things that people know and things that people say they know. I know these are Navy/Marine uniform policies. I admit that I am assuming Army/Air Force policies based on Navy regulations, but at the same time, I would not accept your assertions on "DOD policy" unless you can state that you have seen the written policies (Navy, of course, being part of DOD). I restate: I do not know for a fact what Army and Air Force policies are, and from evidence I cited, there may be exceptions. But you stated something as DOD policy which is not uniformly applied to all DOD.

To close, there are reasons why the medical profession and the military might discourage the wearing of clothing associated with their professions in public. In the case of the military, the wearing of combat dress is common and it might not want to be associated with people who take on that clothing. Or to put it another way, is there any other type of military dress that people would even want to wear? So what of the medical profession? There is no reason, in my experience, that anyone would remotely confuse anyone in hospital garb with a negative connotation. But, someone with medical experience might want to add insight into this question.
     
driven
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 01:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by Tomchu View Post
I'm sure it's a show-off thing for some ...

just like the asshats who rip by in their toy Asian cars with fartcans bolted on, elitist d-bags who walk around all over the place with those effing Bluetooth headsets TALKING LIKE THIS, and stuck-up snobs who whip out their iPhones every 15 seconds for no purpose whatsoever other than to subtly point out to anyone near by that they have an iPhone.
Or the folks with the iPhones might just be checking their e-mail. (Since only Yahoo has push-mail)
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
driven
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 02:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by climber View Post
It's better than walking around with a hospital gown in public.
I like to air out my butt ....
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 09:12 AM
 
Originally Posted by skipjack View Post
This quote interests me because, in my experience, it is not true.
I bow to your superior knowledge of Navy uniforms. I've only worked with Navy folks a few times, and then only when they were detailed as students (and wearing seafarers or blues/whites depending on the season). The Army and Air Force have a service (business) uniform and a utility (combat) uniform. If you're a mechanic, you often have overalls, but you wear those over the combat trousers and undershirt. In my time on active duty I never got any sort of "wear this if you're going to get dirty" dispensation.

But red rocket's rantings are about seeing people in combat uniforms. If he doesn't like seeing that, he should, as I said, take it up with his government. This thread isn't about that at all. It's about scrubs, which are for most people that wear them, a "uniform" for their jobs.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
finboy
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Garden of Paradise Motel, Suite 3D
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 03:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by design219 View Post
Anybody else seen this behavior?
I have lots of students that come to night school dressed that way, even folks who don't work in a traditional "scrub" environment. If any part of the trend bothers me, it's that you have secretaries, techs and custodial folks wearing something that's a "uniform" for nurses and other trained professionals. Kinda creepy.

I have yet to see folks wearing DIRTY scrubs out of their context.
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 03:27 PM
 
What's creepy about having everybody that works in a clinical setting all wearing scrubs? It certainly helps identify who works there and who's a visitor, don't you think? And "techs" are most certainly "trained professionals" in most cases, just not "licensed health care providers." Unit secretaries sometimes wear scrubs, but not usually in my experience. And who's going to get messier, a nurse who gowns before touching anything, or a houskeeping worker who cleans up after the nurse? Who better to wear easily laundered clothes?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Heavy Fluid
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Lansing, MI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 09:05 PM
 
I miss my BDU's. Haven't had them on since 1996.

I do wear scrubs at my current job, which is in a hospital. If you see me outside of the hospital in scrubs, don't worry. I didn't come from a grizzly medical procedure, although I do see them all day. I am a Pharmacy Technican working in a satellite Pharmacy in the Surgery department of a Level One Trauma Hospital. I do enter the rooms, but only to deliver medications to the RN's, Physicians, and CRNA's.

I know that I am late on this thread, haven't been here much, but I just wanted to add my two cents. The people that you see at Subway or Panera, in their scrubs, they may very well be the people that save your life sometime. They need to eat also, and there really isn't much time on a 30 minute break to change your clothes and then change back after your lunch break.
In a barrier free world, who needs Windows™ and Gates?
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 28, 2008, 10:36 PM
 
Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid View Post
I miss my BDU's. Haven't had them on since 1996.
It's been since fall of 2004 for me. I kinda miss 'em too.
Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid View Post
I do wear scrubs at my current job, which is in a hospital. If you see me outside of the hospital in scrubs, don't worry. I didn't come from a grizzly medical procedure, although I do see them all day. I am a Pharmacy Technican working in a satellite Pharmacy in the Surgery department of a Level One Trauma Hospital. I do enter the rooms, but only to deliver medications to the RN's, Physicians, and CRNA's.

I know that I am late on this thread, haven't been here much, but I just wanted to add my two cents. The people that you see at Subway or Panera, in their scrubs, they may very well be the people that save your life sometime. They need to eat also, and there really isn't much time on a 30 minute break to change your clothes and then change back after your lunch break.
Which hospital is the Level One in Lansing? I haven't been around there for a LONG time.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
red rocket
Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 29, 2008, 04:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter
But red rocket's rantings are about seeing people in combat uniforms. If he doesn't like seeing that, he should, as I said, take it up with his government. This thread isn't about that at all.
‘Rantings,’ eh? You know, I can see why you’d be biased, but I really do think that even someone with a military background ought to be able to comprehend that there is such a thing as civilian life, with civilians in it, who have no obligation whatsoever to be enthusiastic about uniformed soldiers in their midst. As a matter of fact, the glorification of soldiers to the extent that you and some of the other militarists in here have been practising it is a US aberration, and I would even say that most civilians around the world share my view. This isn’t Sparta, you know.
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 29, 2008, 10:43 AM
 
Soldiers don't want "glorification," just an acknowledgment that their work is not a 9-5, weekdays only sort of job. They don't change the oil in your car, and they don't stock grocery shelves. They put their own lives on the line for YOU. I am NOT a "militarist" but a realist. Your impression that civilians should be able to ignore that their countries are engaged in military operations is pretty short-sighted. As I said earlier, if you don't like it, take it up with your government. Get other like-minded people to do the same. Make use of the democracy you have. But complaining about it here is not only ineffective, it demonstrates your scorn for people who are sacrificing a lot, maybe even their own lives, so that you can whine that you are uncomfortable being reminded that some people are fighting for you.

AND NOTHING MORE ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IN THIS THREAD OR THE LOUNGE. Start something in the PL if you really want to continue. No warnings: post anything more about military uniforms in the Lounge, and you'll receive an infraction. Is that clear?

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
skipjack
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 29, 2008, 05:59 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
I bow to your superior knowledge of Navy uniforms.
Well, that's going around the point, but regardless

- the question is, if anyone cares, and really I suppose they don't because in any profession (including the unmentionable) people have a way of doing whatever they want if they don't get caught -

is there an official policy? I imagine it differs according to the institution. Generally, there are written rules and regulations that most people don't know about, or would ignore even if they did. From the rest of this thread, the subject of this thread is generally accepted, but as everyone knows, if someone in charge really wants to "stick it" to someone, they throw the book at them, and so are there any guidelines with respect to the subject clothing that really need to be changed to conform to common practice?
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 29, 2008, 06:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by skipjack View Post
Well, that's going around the point, but regardless

- the question is, if anyone cares, and really I suppose they don't because in any profession (including the unmentionable) people have a way of doing whatever they want if they don't get caught -

is there an official policy? I imagine it differs according to the institution. Generally, there are written rules and regulations that most people don't know about, or would ignore even if they did. From the rest of this thread, the subject of this thread is generally accepted, but as everyone knows, if someone in charge really wants to "stick it" to someone, they throw the book at them, and so are there any guidelines with respect to the subject clothing that really need to be changed to conform to common practice?
Are you referring to military uniforms off base/post, or scrubs outside the clinic? The Air Force has a rule that says unless you're in a service (blue shirt, dark blue slacks/skirt), your excursions off base in uniform should be limited to short stops (light grocery shopping or fast food). This is rarely enforced in a strict sense because usually the areas around air bases, where the service members live, are "understanding" about when one has time to shop for groceries, and the definition of "fast food" is kind of fluid. The Marines recently issued an order that this particular sort of excursion was pretty much forbidden except for getting gas and drive-throughs.

In a clinical setting, it's possible that having the staff all go out to lunch in scrubs, with their nametags and badges showing, would constitute advertising for the clinic.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
Heavy Fluid
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Lansing, MI
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 29, 2008, 06:47 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
It's been since fall of 2004 for me. I kinda miss 'em too.Which hospital is the Level One in Lansing? I haven't been around there for a LONG time.
Sparrow. You should see this place now.
In a barrier free world, who needs Windows™ and Gates?
     
Mister Elf
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Jan 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 30, 2008, 09:11 PM
 
We might want to spin this into another thread at this point, but the Navy's moving away from the insane number of enlisted service and working uniforms to two replacements - a year-round service uniform and a cammie-style working uniform. The idea behind the cammies was to give us a working uniform that can be worn off base, so it'll be a more common sight around town now.
Midshipman 3/C, USNR
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 30, 2008, 09:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mister Elf View Post
We might want to spin this into another thread at this point, but the Navy's moving away from the insane number of enlisted service and working uniforms to two replacements - a year-round service uniform and a cammie-style working uniform. The idea behind the cammies was to give us a working uniform that can be worn off base, so it'll be a more common sight around town now.
That sounds like it would make for a much lighter sea bag!

I think far too many people read more into a uniform (be it a Marine in his dress uniform or a Geek Squad member in his skinny tie) than is warranted, probably because they know nothing about the qualifications or other prerequisites to wear that uniform. To wear scrubs takes...buying scrubs. But the name tag and appropriate shoes are what says "I'm a <your health-related specialty here>." Obviously a lot of people here had no idea what scrubs were for, or that the "scrubs" factor in procedures is self-contained and never leaves the hospital or clinic. We're not what you might call "dumb as a post," yet a lot of assumptions were made. I think the OP's acceptance that scrubs are a uniform, not "clothes you expect to get covered in something nasty" shows that. I'm kind of happy it turned out that way, too.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
skipjack
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 2, 2008, 03:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
Are you referring to military uniforms off base/post, or scrubs outside the clinic?
This particular question was specific toward medical scrubs because the topic of military uniforms was supposed to be off limits.

[QUOTE=ghporter;3664384 The Air Force has a rule that says unless you're in a service (blue shirt, dark blue slacks/skirt), your excursions off base in uniform should be limited to short stops (light grocery shopping or fast food).[/QUOTE]

But since you bring this up, this confuses and clarifies the issue. Most of our previous discussion involved what I referred to as "dirty work" uniforms (to avoid the confusion with working uniforms, not because any military person on these boards would be confused, but because I am trying to be as clear as possible to non-military readers) and your implication seemed to be that uniforms such as camouflage and jumpsuits were the uniforms you considered acceptable for service people to wear off-base in civilian establishments. The policy you just referred to agrees with my understanding of uniform policy. I was not explaining all the variety of Navy uniforms just to show off knowledge, but to explain to forum readers whose only experience with uniforms might be what they see in the movies or TV what uniforms I was speaking of, sometimes using somewhat derogatory descriptions ("sailor suit", "prison uniform") only because they are common descriptions that may be immediately recognizable.

While the question I posed is also applicable to military uniforms, it was specific to medical scrubs since, apparently, any regulations or guidelines are not as strict.
     
ghporter
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: San Antonio TX USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 2, 2008, 06:49 PM
 
I kinda thought that politicizing the uniform was what I had said was off limits...

Anyway, there's a catch in wearing any uniform (military or otherwise) to do stuff you get dirty/messy doing. You almost always have to "not present a bad image" in that uniform. Medical people handle this by using clinic or hospital scrubs for procedures (lots of doctors show up in street clothes and change into hospital scrubs for procedures, while the other professionals involved either gown over their own scrubs or (more likely) change into hospital scrubs for the procedure and then back into their own scrubs.

Glenn -----OTR/L, MOT, Tx
     
@pplejaxkz
Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NY
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Jun 2, 2008, 06:57 PM
 
Whenever I see a person in Scrubs it reminds me of the show and I get happy. But then I get a flash of all the times at the dentist and I get sad =[
     
 
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:28 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,