Skip to main content

Cornell University

The Bookshelf

Exploring EdTech and Cognitive Psychology

Complete Guide to Buying Scrubs

Almost everyone who’s worked in the medical profession has bought scrubs at some point. And before you head to https://www.blueskyscrubs.com/ to find your perfect pair, we’ll provide a couple of tips for choosing the best scrubs for your specific needs!

Scrubs 101

If you’re new to the medical industry, you may not be familiar with this patient care staple. We’re going to change that right here because scrubs are incredibly easy to wash, maintain, and wear; the perfect garments to protect you from any hazardous chemicals and substances. Most medical staff wear them because they reduce the likelihood of infections and contamination.

These garments get their name from the literally scrubbed – or sterile – environments in which they’re worn. They’ve been used by American medical staff for decades and have since spread to the rest of the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated their use in the global healthcare profession.

Besides their practical use, scrubs are also great for complex hospital settings because they make medical staff easy to spot compared to patients and other team members. These days, scrub bottoms and tops come in various colors, brands, and sizes.

Choosing Scrubs

If you look for things that nurses, doctors, CNAs, and similar medical staff have in common – you’ll find that all of them don scrubs once they start working. However, that doesn’t mean you can just put on any random pair of scrubs. You need to find the perfect combo of utility, style, and fit that will help you stay comfortable and protected while you do one of the most critical jobs on the planet.

That’s why picking the best scrubs can make the difference between constant distractions and 100% focus on your patients and your medical work. With that in mind, we’ll look at some of the most important considerations you must make while choosing which scrubs to wear.

The Right Fit

Picking the best-fitting scrubs is extremely important. If you start wearing overly tight scrubs, they’ll restrict your movement too much when you need extremely flexible. And vice versa, loose scrubs will often get tangled up and stop you from properly tending to your duties.

If you want to avoid both situations, it’s a good idea to find stretchy and flexible scrubs; they’re designed to provide you with the biggest range of movement, especially in your legs and arms. When it comes to tops, remember that junior fits are generally intended for petite women, and they’ll hang closer to your body. On the other hand, wrap tops will easily flatter any body shape and size.

It’s also important to check whether the tops you’re looking at were made for women, men, or unisex; this will affect their size and shape. For example, unisex and men’s scrubs are made with a boxy cut, generally longer, while women’s scrubs have an inward curve that follows their waist and natural shape. And speaking of the length of your scrub tops – your top should go below your hips, providing you enough coverage while you perform your work tasks.

Also, your scrub top shouldn’t be cut too low to maintain appropriateness; that’s true for all genders.

Picking Scrub Bottoms

When buying scrub bottoms, find a style of pants that compliments your daily work duties and unique shape. It’s all give and take; for instance, flare-leg pants provide great visual balance against your hips or bust. However, they’re prone to dragging over the floor and can even cause tripping if you don’t pick the specific size that suits you.

On the other hand, many people endure constant weight fluctuations, making choosing the proper scrub bottoms more difficult. In that case, consider drawstring waist bottoms; they’re the perfect pants for that sort of situation. Also, think about finding specialty fits; plenty of manufacturers design them these days.

Scrub Materials

Unlike most other workplaces, the medical field has many germs, bodily fluids, and dirt. And those are all things you want to leave behind when you leave work; you don’t want to take them with you, and you don’t want them to stay on your clothes the next day. That’s why you may want to choose anti-microbial, stain-resistant models. There are also moisture-wicking models that make things even easier; staying dry and cool is great when you’re rushing from one patient to the next.

Sufficient Storage

Most healthcare workers agree that having as many pockets as possible is always helpful. That’s why you should consider scrub pants, tops, and jackets with plenty of pocket space.

Naturally, at the end of the day, you should still consider fashion too. It may not be a #1 priority in the medical profession, but you will still probably find plenty of joy in looking your best on the job. Of course, your workplace might have its own color-coded clothing system. In that case, your options will be more limited; but you could still find some fashionable scrubs to spruce things up.