Theatre clothes in hospital

[Kimbo]

Just been thinking about when I had Leah, and thought I'd see what you think.
She got stuck so I signed the form for a c-section incase forceps didn't work. So they took me down to theatre and took my mum to go and get changed into theatre clothes.
She tld me afterwards, that the room she went into was just like a cloak room, all musty smells and smells as thought clothes haven't been washed in ages.
She said the theatre clothes were strewn all over the floor and on hooks on the wall, and a load of dirty theatre shoes were piled up on the floor and she said it stank.

They told her to put the clothes on, and my mum said to her, "Where can I wash my hands?" and the midwife replied, "oh it doesn't matter we need to get her down quick."
The only thing that was new, was the theatre hat which was taken out of a dispenser on the wall.

WTF!? I am about to get operated on and they wear dirty old musty clothes, and don't wash their hands? Is that even legal?

My mum only told me about this aftewards of course, but she was really shocked and was expecting new theatre clothes in plastic bags to at least keep them sterile, but when they had finished, the clothes were just thrown back on the floor... midwifes too.
What was the point in even getting changed? It was probably more safer for my mum to keep her own clothes on!
Come on, tell me I'm right lol

 

[Tiggergirl]

That doesn't surprise me. I ended up picking up an infection in hospital (Preston) when I had my c-section.

I couldn't hold my daughter for more than a few minutes without being in complete agony, and it took four different types of antibiotics to shift it in the end.

To top it all off it wasn't even diagnosed until I had been discharged and at home. In the hospital I had been told that all the swelling was normal.

 

[Mrs_Jay]

i think thats disgusting

 

[Tara & Liam]

i've had 3 c sections in two different hospitals and each time it has been lovely and clean. no complaints for the operations at all. the after care is another subject in one of the hospitals.

 

[Tiggergirl]

She tld me afterwards, that the room she went into was just like a cloak room, all musty smells and smells as thought clothes haven't been washed in ages.
She said the theatre clothes were strewn all over the floor and on hooks on the wall, and a load of dirty theatre shoes were piled up on the floor and she said it stank.

They told her to put the clothes on, and my mum said to her, "Where can I wash my hands?" and the midwife replied, "oh it doesn't matter we need to get her down quick."

I just spoke to my OH, who said that the room at Preston was exactly the same with dirty clothes and shoes strewn everywhere. The only difference was that there was somewhere to wash hands.

 

[SKINNYLAD77]

I just spoke to my OH, who said that the room at Preston was exactly the same with dirty clothes and shoes strewn everywhere. The only difference was that there was somewhere to wash hands.

yep same here the room in s****horpe general was the same

 

[Strangeness]

I never even thought to ask my dh about this. I will when he gets home. Must say he looked damn fine in theatre clothes though

 

[Kimbo]

She tld me afterwards, that the room she went into was just like a cloak room, all musty smells and smells as thought clothes haven't been washed in ages.
She said the theatre clothes were strewn all over the floor and on hooks on the wall, and a load of dirty theatre shoes were piled up on the floor and she said it stank.

They told her to put the clothes on, and my mum said to her, "Where can I wash my hands?" and the midwife replied, "oh it doesn't matter we need to get her down quick."

I just spoke to my OH, who said that the room at Preston was exactly the same with dirty clothes and shoes strewn everywhere. The only difference was that there was somewhere to wash hands.

yeah i was at Blackburn so very near..

 

[poppy160]

Ewww, that's gross!!
In the hospital I used to work in (Also where I had my baby) All clean scrubs were taken out of the laundry room and all dirty ones were put in clear, soluable plastic bags and put through a very hot wash so they were cleaned properly. You should complain.

 

[pilkers]

That doesn't surprise me. I ended up picking up an infection in hospital (Preston) when I had my c-section.

I couldn't hold my daughter for more than a few minutes without being in complete agony, and it took four different types of antibiotics to shift it in the end.

To top it all off it wasn't even diagnosed until I had been discharged and at home. In the hospital I had been told that all the swelling was normal.

my cousin got mrsa after a stint in there

 

[kirlykird]

Hi

In theatre, yes the shoes get re worn, everyone tends to have their own, they do smell, it's bloomin hot in those theatres but as far as I am aware they are not worn outside the theatre floors and no part of the patient oryour sterile operating instruments should touch the floor or the shoes anyway.

As for the scrubs, no they are not new, however, they will be washed to a high standard each time, probably in the same way as your bed sheets, towels and other materials. Each wear should be clean. I have never gone into a scrubs room yet and put on a dirty pair of them.

As for hand washing, I agree, in my own and this is my own personal thoughts, your mum should have been asked to gel her hands but theoretically she shouldn't be touching any areas that could be thought as to pass on an infection anyway. As a nurse whom will go into theatre to just observe and watch what is going on, I am under strict instructions that no matter what happens, I do not touch anything in there. I can get up close but I can't even touch the cloth that the instrument bowls sit on. The clothes that are super important in theatre are the long aprons that cover the scrubs, that a thoroughly scrubbed up nurse will tie for the surgeons...the surgeons aren't even allowed to do this themselves, the hats and the masks. these are applied in theatre after scrubbing up and are sterile and new.

I think that this is quite normal of most hospital changing rooms to be honest. I agree that the room shouldn't have been in a mess but any trained member of medical staff would know that the only scrubs you take are the ones that are in the pile of clean and fresh laundry in size order.

Sorry if my post has sounded argumentative, not meant to & by no means will I ever defend messy people! I do not believe that it is ever the laundry or cleaners job to pick up these things & I definately believe that your mum should have at least been asked to gel. I'm just trying to explain a little how it works from the other side.

If you do however believe that this is wrong mention it to your hospital & maybe if your mum saw people using scrubs which were dirty then this should definately be mentioned to the hierarchy.

 

[kirlykird]

Sorry, I also fogot to say that they wouldn't operate on you without washing their hands. Noone scrubs up in the changing room, that's all it is, the staff changing room

Scrubbing up happens in theatre, it would be completely pointless for your surgeons or midwives to wash in the cloak room as they would have to re scrub when they had touched any exterior part of the operating theatre.

 

[Kimbo]

Hi

In theatre, yes the shoes get re worn, everyone tends to have their own, they do smell, it's bloomin hot in those theatres but as far as I am aware they are not worn outside the theatre floors and no part of the patient oryour sterile operating instruments should touch the floor or the shoes anyway.

As for the scrubs, no they are not new, however, they will be washed to a high standard each time, probably in the same way as your bed sheets, towels and other materials. Each wear should be clean. I have never gone into a scrubs room yet and put on a dirty pair of them.

As for hand washing, I agree, in my own and this is my own personal thoughts, your mum should have been asked to gel her hands but theoretically she shouldn't be touching any areas that could be thought as to pass on an infection anyway. As a nurse whom will go into theatre to just observe and watch what is going on, I am under strict instructions that no matter what happens, I do not touch anything in there. I can get up close but I can't even touch the cloth that the instrument bowls sit on. The clothes that are super important in theatre are the long aprons that cover the scrubs, that a thoroughly scrubbed up nurse will tie for the surgeons...the surgeons aren't even allowed to do this themselves, the hats and the masks. these are applied in theatre after scrubbing up and are sterile and new.

I think that this is quite normal of most hospital changing rooms to be honest. I agree that the room shouldn't have been in a mess but any trained member of medical staff would know that the only scrubs you take are the ones that are in the pile of clean and fresh laundry in size order.

Sorry if my post has sounded argumentative, not meant to & by no means will I ever defend messy people! I do not believe that it is ever the laundry or cleaners job to pick up these things & I definately believe that your mum should have at least been asked to gel. I'm just trying to explain a little how it works from the other side.

If you do however believe that this is wrong mention it to your hospital & maybe if your mum saw people using scrubs which were dirty then this should definately be mentioned to the hierarchy.

thanks for that reply
i didnt think you were being argumentative at all and what you have said makes sense.
i suppose you know what goes on if you work there, but people like me have no idea so just thought it was strange

 

[kirlykird]

Hi

In theatre, yes the shoes get re worn, everyone tends to have their own, they do smell, it's bloomin hot in those theatres but as far as I am aware they are not worn outside the theatre floors and no part of the patient oryour sterile operating instruments should touch the floor or the shoes anyway.

As for the scrubs, no they are not new, however, they will be washed to a high standard each time, probably in the same way as your bed sheets, towels and other materials. Each wear should be clean. I have never gone into a scrubs room yet and put on a dirty pair of them.

As for hand washing, I agree, in my own and this is my own personal thoughts, your mum should have been asked to gel her hands but theoretically she shouldn't be touching any areas that could be thought as to pass on an infection anyway. As a nurse whom will go into theatre to just observe and watch what is going on, I am under strict instructions that no matter what happens, I do not touch anything in there. I can get up close but I can't even touch the cloth that the instrument bowls sit on. The clothes that are super important in theatre are the long aprons that cover the scrubs, that a thoroughly scrubbed up nurse will tie for the surgeons...the surgeons aren't even allowed to do this themselves, the hats and the masks. these are applied in theatre after scrubbing up and are sterile and new.

I think that this is quite normal of most hospital changing rooms to be honest. I agree that the room shouldn't have been in a mess but any trained member of medical staff would know that the only scrubs you take are the ones that are in the pile of clean and fresh laundry in size order.

Sorry if my post has sounded argumentative, not meant to & by no means will I ever defend messy people! I do not believe that it is ever the laundry or cleaners job to pick up these things & I definately believe that your mum should have at least been asked to gel. I'm just trying to explain a little how it works from the other side.

If you do however believe that this is wrong mention it to your hospital & maybe if your mum saw people using scrubs which were dirty then this should definately be mentioned to the hierarchy.

thanks for that reply
i didnt think you were being argumentative at all and what you have said makes sense.
i suppose you know what goes on if you work there, but people like me have no idea so just thought it was strange

no probs