The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone and nobody has been impacted more than frontline workers. This includes doctors, techs, pharmacists, and nurses. Many people have heard about the major issues surrounding personal protective equipment, or PPE, that frontline workers wear while treating people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus. As a result, some people are wondering what this means and what the nurses wear every time they set foot in a patient care area.
Nurses Wear Comfortable Scrubs that Provide Dexterity and Functionality
The main attire that nurses wear while they are fighting the pandemic is scrubs. These are thin, sterile tops and bottoms that allow nurses to move quickly and easily from room to room without feeling restricted or overheating. Many nurses rely on a specialized scrub store that allows them to pick and choose the scrubs that are right for them.
The two most important characteristics that nurses look for in their scrubs are dexterity and functionality. Dexterity refers to how loose and thin the scrubs are, allowing them to bend over, walk quickly, and extend their arms to their full range of motion without feeling restricted by the scrubs. Most often, functionality refers to the storage space of the scrubs. Nurses have to carry a lot of equipment with them from room to room including their stethoscopes, medications, syringes, quick reference cards, and more. Nurse scrubs have to provide enough storage space for these items.
Some Nurses Wear Specialized Scrubs for Pediatric Care
In the pediatric world, nurses often look for specialized scrubs. Nurses have to make sure that their patients feel as comfortable as possible. This is where scrubs with cartoon characters on them, bright colors, and friendly designs can be helpful. When nurses are able to make their patients feel more comfortable, they instantly become more cooperative. This makes it easier for nurses to do their jobs because their patients aren’t guarding, shying away, crying, or screaming. Furthermore, their patients are more likely to answer their questions, allowing nurses to complete their tasks more quickly and provide the doctors with helpful information.
Nurses Wear the Right Type of Masks
While scrubs are important for nurses who are fighting the pandemic, masks are important as well. When fighting the pandemic, there are specialized masks that nurses need to wear called N95 respirators. Typical masks only protect against pathogens that are transmitted via droplets, such as when someone coughs on another person. This is not good enough for protection against COVID-19, as this virus is transmitted through the air. The N95 mask is thicker and heavier, providing protection against airborne pathogens. This equipment is essential for all healthcare personnel, including nurses. Without this mask, nurses are prone to contracting the virus themselves, taking them out of the line of duty.
Nurses Also Wear Gloves and Gowns
Finally, there are other types of equipment that nurses wear as well. All nurses wear gloves when they are working with patients. There are multiple types of gloves that nurses might wear. While latex gloves are common, many nurses also wear nitrile gloves. They are more comfortable, provide more dexterity, and do not contain latex, which is important for those with a latex allergy.
In some situations, nurses might also wear gowns as well. There are different types of gowns available; however, gowns are important because nurses might end up with certain fluids on them when they exit a patient room. They might also have viral particles on them. By removing this gown before exiting the room, this reduces the chances of a nurse either contracting the virus or spreading it to another patient. Many nurses will also sanitize their stethoscopes as they move from room to room as well.
Everyone Must Take Care of Frontline Workers
This is just a brief overview of what nurses wear while fighting the pandemic. Without the right equipment, it will be impossible for nurses to take appropriate care of their patients. During this critical time, it is important not to forget about the major role that nurses play in fighting this virus. When our society comes together to support our frontline workers and mitigate the spread of this virus, we provide ourselves with the best chance possible of beating this deadly pandemic.