Scrubs can be contaminated with bacteria even with clothing made with antibacterial fabric, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.
A study by Duke University Hospital tested whether the antimicrobial scrubs were effective in preventing bacteria contamination.
The forty nurses tested worked in medical and surgical intensive care units caring for one to two patients per shift. The nurses wore three different types of scrubs over three consecutive 12-hour shifts and researchers took a series of cultures from each nurse’s clothing, patients and the environment before and after each shift.
They found no differences in contamination based on the type of scrubs worn by the nurses. The most commonly transmitted bacteria was Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA and methicillin susceptible S. aureus.
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