STOP THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE: DDNS OGECHI KAMALU VICTOR-CHIAKA TELLS COLLEAGUES WHO WEAR SCRUBS HOME

By Our Health Correspondent

In a strongly worded advisory that has sent ripples through the medical community, a senior nursing administrator has called on her colleagues to immediately stop the growing practice of wearing hospital scrubs outside the workplace.

Mrs. Ogechi L. Kamalu Victor-Chiaka, Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, has warned that nurses who commute through public markets and motor parks in their soiled uniforms are inadvertently turning themselves into agents of disease transmission.

In a scholarly article titled “Should Nurses Wear Scrubs Back Home After Work?”, the DDNS argues that the convenience of the commute is being prioritized over the safety of the public and the nurse’s own family.

“Scrubs Are Not Streetwear”

According to the senior nurse, scrubs are not mere uniforms, but a form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed to contain the bacteria and viruses encountered during a shift.

“Throughout a shift, scrubs accumulate bacteria, including multi-drug resistant organisms,” Mrs. Victor-Chiaka explained. “When a nurse wearing the same uniform hops into a crowded Danfo bus or a taxi, they are sharing those pathogens with pregnant women, children, and the elderly.”

Citing international research, the DDNS pointed to studies showing that dangerous pathogens like MRSA can survive on polyester fabric—the material used for most scrubs—for weeks if not properly handled.

A Danger to Family and Public

The article highlights a critical ethical blind spot: the nurse’s own home.

“Bringing scrubs into the house and draping them over furniture or placing them in a family laundry basket risks contaminating the entire household,” she stated. “The duty to ‘first, do no harm’ does not end at the hospital gate. It follows us onto the bus and through our front doors.”

The ‘Scrub Privilege’ Trap

Mrs. Victor-Chiaka also addressed the issue of “scrub privilege,” where nurses sometimes receive preferential treatment in public because of their recognizable attire. She warned that this should never override infection control protocols.

Advice to the Profession

To combat the trend, the DDNS has issued clear, practical advice for her colleagues across Nigeria:

· Change Before Leaving: Nurses should change out of scrubs before leaving the hospital premises.

· The Duffel Bag Rule: If scrubs must be taken home, they should be placed immediately in a waterproof, sealed bag and not allowed to touch any surface during transit.

· Wash Separately: Scrubs should be washed separately from family laundry, using hot water, and ironed thoroughly to kill residual organisms.

Call for Policy Change

The Deputy Director is calling on the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) and hospital administrators to provide adequate changing facilities for staff and to issue clear policies regarding uniform hygiene.

“We are guardians in scrubs,” she concluded. “Let us be nurses the public can trust, both inside and outside the hospital walls.”

This article was written by Mrs OGECHI L. KAMALU VICTOR-CHIAKA the Office of the DDNS, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu.