Hospital Germs

“When a lot of remedies are suggested for a disease, that means it can't be cured.” - Anton Chekhov (Russian playwright)

What is it about doctors and a casual attitude towards germs? I wrote earlier, Did you forget to wash your hands?, about the history of hand washing and how doctors resisted the idea that dirty hands could kill. Now a new study shows that unwashed scrubs can also kill, Hospital Scrubs Are a Germy, Deadly Mess.

Some medical personnel wear the same unlaundered uniforms to work day after day. ... At the University of Maryland, 65% of medical personnel confess they change their lab coat less than once a week, though they know it's contaminated. Fifteen percent admit they change it less than once a month. Superbugs such as staph can live on these polyester coats for up to 56 days.

Bottom Line

Dirty scrubs spread bacteria to patients and, when worn in public, allow superbugs to escape to places like restaurants. Scrub germs can cause extreme diarrhea, dehydration, inflammation of the colon, and even death. They are difficult germs to kill. "Only scrubbing with bleach removed [them]".

In recognition of this problem some hospitals are returning to laundering scrubs and/or prohibiting wearing the scrubs outside the hospital.