Student Gets Criticized By Neighbor As She’s Not A Nurse But Is Wearing Scrubs, Seeks Advice Online

Neighbor is mad. She thought she had free medical advice living next door. She was all ready to go into detail about her piles when OP cut her off. How DARE OP!?!?

Wear scrubs, if you like them. Vet techs wear scrubs, as do many non-nurse medical personnel. I am currently on the bus back from bloodork respiratory physiotherapy and my therapist was wearing scrubs, as was the person to took my blood, just to mention two. As long as you aren't pretending to be a nurse, there's nothing wrong with wearing comfy clothes.

Uhhhh..lots of professions wear scrubs: kennel attendant, veterinary assistant, technicians, masseuses, custodians, clinic receptionists etc. Pretty much anyone working at a facility where they often come into contact with waste and hazardous materials.

That neighbor needs a life and a hobby.

I really don't understand this gatekeeping of clothing. Actually impersonating a nurse would require a lot more than just scrub bottoms in a neighborhood. Is it really just insecurity on the part of the gatekeeper?

Back in the day, nurses wore starched white uniforms and caps. Each nursing college had its own unique hat, so those in the know knew where that nurse was trained. Shoes had to be white, and if the nurse wore a dress uniform, her hose had to also be white.

i wore scrubs when i worked at a vet's office AS A RECEPTIONIST.

"Only nurses have earned the right to wear scrubs?" That's a new one to me, gatekeeping pants now?

What even is this post? First--many professions, outside of medical, wear scrubs. Second, you'd be surprised how many people wear scrubs daily as just clothes. I have several pairs of scrub pants. I have some I can dress up because they look like slacks. I have some baggy, flared ones that look great with sandals--gives that beachy linen pant look. I have a bunch that are cargo pant scrubs and I wear them daily with tees and converse. In fact, the reviews on scrubs over at Amazon are full of people stating they don't work in medical, they just like the pants to wear as every day pants. I'm sure other medical people probably recognize my pants, but most people would have no clue. And I've been asked, "Where did you get those pants? Those are cute." Most medical people I know where scrub pants out and about as clothes. I'm having a had time imagining anyone giving a c**p that someone is walking around in scrubs.

Obviously NTA. However, OP did have an interesting point about employers sometimes being shady in how they want employees to dress. Once a man in a hi-vis safety vest came up to my house and said he was with the cable company. I don't have cable, but I figured he must need access to my yard to fix my neighbor's cable or whatever, so I asked how I could help. He starts asking all these questions about my internet. Eventually I realize he's just a cable salesman. They dressed all their sales people in safety vests so people would be more willing to talk to them. Ooh, I was pissed!

Lol, l wear scrubs for the spring cleaning because l don't want to ruin any of my clothes. Sue me

Whew is that lady gonna be mad when she learns of other jobs/professions wearing scrubs! As a pharmacist, certain chains and independent pharmacies require scrubs. I was required to purchase some for an experiential rotation pre-licensure. Definitely NTA. That lady needs to get a grip, she's mad over pants.

The neighbor is a Karen. “Stolen valor?!” No. Anyone can wear scrubs without being a medical professional or an impostor of such. Some people wear them just because yes…they’re comfortable. Also, in the large hospital system near my house, EVERYONE who works there wears scrubs, not just the doctors (when doing surgery) and nurses. So, housekeeping staff, clerical staff, etc. all wear them too. Each department has its own color of scrubs to wear, and the hospital has charts posted throughout the buildings that indicate which department wears each color. Problem solved.

You can wear what you want when you want. I wear caftans because normal seams in clothing make me sore. Wearing a caftan does not make me Mrs. Roper. (google it I am older than dirt). Put a hard hat on and go out. Put ballet slippers on. I would be wearing all sort of s**t just to bug neighbor.

A long time ago only surgeons wore scrubs. Scrubs are worn to keep your street clothes from getting stained in a messy job...like surgery.

I'm blown away from the actual post reason, due to the employers telling them to 'grab' (buy) a couple of 'uniforms' - or, specific clothes for their job. Any time I've had a job & the employer wanted any kind of uniform, the employers purchased them and handed them out, which we returned when we left the job. I just can't get over employers that expect their workers to pay for them!!! Insanity! Is this a common issue, or does it depend on where you live? Shocked rant over, and NTA, re: OP.

Good grief! We have a local diner, where the uniforms are scrubs. Easy to wear, clean, fit every body and reasonably priced. Would love to send Gladys Kravitz the address. She would have a breakdown!

We have a thrift store where the workers are required to wear scrubs. I worked for them back in the early 80s and I'm not sure what the reasoning was but it may be so you could tell the workers from the customers. We have housekeepers at the retreat center where I work now who wear them and they find them comfortable and since most of them have large pockets so keys and tools are handy. Scrubs are not just for medical people. Get over it.

What a nutjob. My daughter wears scrubs and she works at an opticians office doing all the paperwork and adjusting people frames.