(By: Karen Stockdale)
As someone who has spent a good portion of the last 20 years in scrubs, I definitely have my opinions on what I like and dislike! Comfort, pockets, and non-iron are my priorities. I also know that my coworkers have some strong feelings about their daily uniforms. I noticed that most tend to stick to the same styles and brands, and I wanted to find out why. Maybe I was missing out on something wonderful? So, hoping to find some great new wonder-scrub that I haven’t tried, I set out to find out some information.
One of the things I have accomplished through long nursing career is LOTS of great healthcare friends! I turned to Facebook to poll my current and previous coworkers and classmates on what their favorite scrub brands were, and more importantly – WHY! Nurses are kind of known for being opinionated – and my nurse friends delivered plenty of opinions! I compiled the top ten brands and some of the comments that illustrated why people love them. These brands fell in the top ten, but are in no particular order.
Check out the results of my very official, placebo-controlled, double blind study. Well, not really — but much more fun!
- Grey’s Anatomy – “So soft!” – Jamie, RN – clinic
- HeartSoul – “They are very comfy for long shifts and are lightweight. I always felt smothered in the others and would get so hot!” – Natasha, LPN – home health
- Infinity – “they wash nicely, never fade, no wrinkles, comfortable. I do home health and they don’t pick up any cat/dog hair.” – Mary, RN – home health
- Purple Label – “Comfy and stretchy!” – Amber, RN – school nurse
- Med Couture – “I have the joggers and the waist goes up higher so when I bend down to work my butt doesn’t show.” – Finny, RN – telemetry
- Figs – “classy, hold up, comfortable. Worth the money” – Ruthie, MD – ED
- Dickies – “great solid colors, and they really hold up! I like the way they fit me and are true to size. Also, pockets.” – Tom, RN – ICU
- Cherokee – “I end up staining mine easily, and I go through a lot of scrubs. I like that these are reliable and not too expensive!” – Bethany, RN – travel nurse
- WonderWink – “I have been wearing the same few sets for 2 or 3 years now. They come in cute colors, too” – Cody, RN – Med/Surg charge nurse
- Carhartt – “I just feel manlier. The beard helps too.” – Garth, RN – travel nurse
Well, there you have it folks – the down low on scrubs for 2020. My nurse friends are as diverse as the scrub brands out there, and there is something for everyone!
In the market for scrubs? Think about which of these features are most important to YOU:
- Lots of pockets
- Stretch
- Easy care
- Price
- Durability
- Style/colors
- Fit – plus, petite, high rise, low rise
- Fabric feel
- Cut – men’s, women’s
Listen to my friends in the trenches and try some of their favorites – or poll your own network to get ideas.
Put on YOUR favorites, get out there, and make a difference!
What should I poll about next? What are your favorite brands and why?