Seeking the Perfect Nursing Scrubs: A Comprehensive Guide to Comfort and Fit

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When you first decided on nursing school,  getting to wear a comfortable uniform to work probably wasn’t the top reason you did. However, it likely became one of your favorite perks of working in healthcare. Selecting functional, stylish and comfortable medical scrubs is crucial for working in a hospital setting as a registered nurse (RN), licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), certified nursing assistant (CNA) or in any allied health specialty that mandates scrubs. Your choice of nursing scrubs contributes significantly to your comfort level and enhances your personal style in a healthcare environment. But seriously, who knew the world of scrubs had so many options?

Let’s explore critical factors to consider when purchasing medical scrubs, ensuring you stay supremely comfortable and stylish at work and allowing you to keep your focus sharp when it’s needed the most.

What Makes Good Nursing Scrubs?

• Fabric Quality: Choose scrubs made from durable and breathable fabrics, such as cotton or a cotton blend, to ensure comfort and longevity.
• Fit and Style: Prioritize scrubs that offer a comfortable fit and style that align with your preferences, enhancing confidence and professionalism.
• Pockets and Storage: Look for scrubs with ample pockets to conveniently carry essential tools, pens and personal items during your shifts.
• Ease of Care: Opt for scrubs that are easy to clean and maintain, considering the demands of your work environment and frequent washing.
• Color and Workplace Compliance: Ensure the scrubs adhere to your workplace’s color code and uniform regulations, promoting a polished and unified professional appearance.

The Science of Scrub Fabrics

From the soft embrace of cotton to the resilience of polyester blends, understanding the nuances of scrub fabrics is vital to finding the best nursing scrubs. The table below outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the most common scrub fabrics.

Fabric Type	Advantage	Disadvantages
Cotton	Breathable  Soft Comfortable  Absorbs moisture well, making it suitable for extended wear	Wrinkles easily Shrinks from the original size, making it hard to find a good fit Colors fade over time with frequent washing
Polyester	Durable Resistant to wrinkles and shrinking Maintains color well after frequent washing	Not very breathable May trap heat Not very comfortable for prolonged wear
Blend (Cotton/Polyester)	Combines the benefits of both materials, breathability from cotton and durability from polyester	Specific blend ratio can affect the performance and may not offer the best characteristics of either fabric
Spandex/Stretch	Flexibility and stretch Ease of movement Ideal for frequent bending and stretching	Less breathable than natural fibers Elasticity may break down over time
Performance Fabrics	Moisture-wicking Quick-drying Stain resistant	Expensive Specialized features may not be necessary for everyone

Choosing the right fabric for nursing scrubs involves considering personal preferences, workplace requirements and the specific demands of your RN job. For optimal comfort and durability, many nurses favor blends that leverage the strengths of different materials. Features like elastic waistbands, stretchy fabrics and breathable materials enhance overall comfort.

Medical Scrub Styles for Your Work Wardrobe

Many new brands have emerged in the past decade, seamlessly blending function and fashion in the workplace. The scrub trend has leaned towards sleeker and more fitted styles, offering an updated look. It’s crucial to prioritize comfort when selecting from these modern styles to ensure they don’t compromise your movement and mobility. The increase in contemporary scrub styles for tops and pants offers many diverse choices.

Scrub tops have multiple choices for neckline, cut and fit, including: 

• V-Neck: The traditional neckline of scrubs serves both functional and stylish purposes by improving airflow to the upper body and facilitating ease of movement.

• Mock Wrap: This V-neck design imitates a traditional wrap style, combining a stylish appearance with practicality for comfort during extended wear.

• Sleeve Length: A contemporary trend features shorter, snug sleeves, whereas the traditional scrub fit includes longer sleeves with larger armholes to enhance airflow.

• Garment Length: Scrub tops may be tucked in and sit above the hips in a modern fit, while a classic fit extends slightly below the hips.

Modern fit scrub pants typically have a lower rise, sitting below the natural waistline but above the hips, with a slimmer cut through the hips and thigh. Classic fit scrub pants often feature a mid or natural rise at or just below the natural waistline, offering a more relaxed fit through the hip, buttock and thigh areas. There are various scrub pant designs, which include:

• Jogger
• Tapered
• Straight
• Boot
• Flare

When selecting pants, consider another critical component of your uniform – your shoes. Choosing the best nursing shoes is essential to ensure your overall comfort during those extended shifts.

Personalizing Nursing Scrubs

In the realm of nursing scrubs, the choice of colors and patterns holds significance, influencing the atmosphere in healthcare settings. Certain hospitals mandate specific colors for healthcare professionals, varying from one facility to another. For instance, certain roles are designated by specific colors, such as:

• Doctors wear white
• RNs wear blue
• LPNs wear green
• CNAs wear maroon
• Respiratory therapists wear teal

Uniform color coding of staff offers numerous advantages, aiding in the quick identification of each profession during emergencies. It’s crucial to consider workplace requirements when choosing colors and patterns. 

Beyond conformity, if your facility allows, your uniform has room for personalization through personal preferences of color and style. When ordering scrubs online, popular brands often provide the option to personalize scrubs through embroidery. It can be helpful for patients and their families if you add your name and job title to identify yourself. 

Discovering ways to infuse your unique style into your work attire allows for a touch of individuality while maintaining the necessary standards for a healthcare environment. Whether it’s a distinctive badge reel, fun accessories or a pop of color, you can infuse your personality into your uniform without sacrificing comfort or professionalism. 

Key Features to Look for in Nursing Scrubs

Not enough can be said about pockets when it comes to nursing scrubs. Pants with cargo pockets and shirts with lower pockets on each side are essential for your nursing tools. Figure out what makes you comfortable and stick to it. 

Personally, I always place my stethoscope in the right cargo pocket of my pants – without this pocket, I tend to fumble around. I appreciate my two lower pockets on the scrub top, always putting my phone in the left pocket and my pens, pen light, notepad and nursing papers in the right. Find what works for you and stick to your routine. 

How to Size Scrubs

It’s vital to choose the right scrub size. You want to be comfortable wearing your uniform for extended hours while constantly walking, bending, reaching and stretching. While maintaining ergonomic movements is crucial for nurses, a 12-hour shift often involves various awkward motions. Your uniform should work with you, not against you, especially during critical moments of patient care.

The best way to see if nursing scrubs fit is to try them on, but many of the best deals are online, so it’s essential to measure yourself correctly before ordering. To ensure accurate measurements, it’s best to have someone else measure you, wear only your undergarments, refrain from pulling the tape too tightly and utilize a flexible tape to measure around your body as outlined below:

• Chest: Place the tape under your arms and hold it across the largest part of your chest.

• Waist: Hold the tape around your natural waistline.

• Hips: Measure around the fullest part of your hips with your feet together. 

• Top Garment Length: Measure from the neckline where the shoulder begins to where you want the length of your top to end.

• Inseam: Measure along the inside of the leg, starting just below the crotch and extending to 1″ below the ankle or the preferred length for the pants.

When buying nursing scrubs online at popular sites like Cherokee Medical Uniforms or Scrubs and Beyond, each product has a corresponding sizing guide that provides information on how that specific garment fits. Opting for a size-up is typically suggested if you fall on the higher end of a particular size measurement or if you’re ordering 100% cotton scrubs with no stretch.

How to Care for Nursing Scrubs

Always follow the recommended care instructions on your nursing scrubs, which often include machine washing in cold water and using a mild detergent. Avoid overloading the washing machine to prevent excessive wear and tear. Tumble dry on low heat, or for longevity, hang scrubs to air dry. By doing these simple cleaning techniques, you can ensure your nursing scrubs last longer. Keep them in top-notch condition for the demands of your healthcare profession, whether you have an LPN/LVN job or a CNA job.

The Best Nursing Scrub Brands for Your Budget

Now that you know what you’re looking for in scrub attire, let’s get down to business and look at some top brands and how they compare in style, function and price. The table below compares popular brands ranging from high-budget to good quality cheap scrubs:

Brand	Function	Fashion	Budget
Figs	Recycled polyester provides four-way stretch, anti-wrinkle and moisture-wicking properties  Durable and built to last	Many colors and styles to choose from Modern, fitted scrub look May run small, so it’s recommended to size up	Scrub tops from $38 – $128 Scrub pants from $48 – $58
Scrubs and Beyond	Fit and function options include petite, tall, plus-size and maternity scrubs Has 3-pocket, 4-pocket and 6-pocket cargo pants All types of materials available, including an exclusive recycled polyester	Carries top brands like Beyond Scrubs, Cherokee, Grey’s Anatomy, Healing Hands, Koi, Landau and Skechers Scrubs to ensure tons of fashionable options Numerous color options in classic and contemporary styles	Scrub tops from $10.99 – $54.99 Scrub pants from $14.99 – $60.99
Cherokee Workwear Originals	Fabric blend of cotton and polyester combines comfort and durability	Many classic and contemporary styles and colors True to size	Scrub tops from $15 – $36 Scrub pants from $16 – $34
Uniform Advantage	Soft fabric Fade-resistant, anti-wrinkle, durable and easy to care for  Fabric blend of polyester and cotton	A wide range of timeless and modern styles and colors available Accurate sizing to ensure proper fit	Scrub tops from $12 – 29 Scrub pants from $14 – 29

With a wide selection of styles, we hope Vivian Health’s scrub guide helped steer you in the right direction for maximum comfort and function while you put in those long hours.

Ready to don the perfect scrubs and elevate your healthcare career? Dive into the opportunities at Vivian Health now – your ideal nursing or allied health job may be just a click away.