“It’s important to provide an optimal surgical care environment for our patients. These recommendations for a comprehensive dress policy for surgeons will help us to achieve that goal,” ACS Executive Director David Hoyt, MD, said in a statement.
The guidelines are based on “professionalism, common sense, decorum and the available evidence,” according to ACS. Dress code recommendations include:
- Changing scrubs and hats after a surgical procedure before speaking with family members
- Changing scrubs and hats before subsequent cases even if they are not visibly dirty
- Covering OR scrubs with a clean lab coat when outside the OR area
- Limiting scrub wear to the hospital facility
- Covering the mouth, nose and hair during invasive procedures. A limited amount of hair on the back of the neck and/or “modest” sideburns are allowed to show.
See the full list of recommendations here.
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