Hospital doctors’ attire during COVID-19 and beyond: time for a permanent change

BACKGROUND: The debate on current doctors’ attire in Irish hospital resurfaced alongside COVID-19, as a shift in doctors’ attire from professional attire to scrubs was observed. AIM: The current study aimed to explore whether COVID-19 has changed the way in which hospital doctors perceive their personal attire, and whether this group wish for changes implemented during COVID-19 to become permanent. METHODS: Hospital doctors (n = 151), across all specialties and seniority at University Hospital Galway (UHG), filled out a ten-point online questionnaire exploring their experience of and attitudes towards hospital attire during COVID-19. Data collected and analysed in August–September 2020. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent (119) changed their attire during COVID-19 to scrubs (54% to hospital provided; 22% to private). Thirty-eight percent (56) reported feeling uncomfortable with bringing clothing home, highlighting the infection control risk. Seventy-four per cent (110) wanted the change to scrubs as standard attire to become permanent (65% to hospital provided; 9% to private). Thirty-two percent (47) noted a change in patients’ perception when wearing scrubs. CONCLUSION: Hospital doctors changed their attire during COVID-19, and 75% would like these changes to become permanent. Most (67%) did not notice a change in their patient’s perception of them, raising questions about the longstanding beliefs surrounding ‘professional attire’. A large number of doctors are also worried about bringing clothing home. The humble hospital scrubs have shown their worth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Why not continue to wear them?