Best Scrubs and Gloves for Anatomy?

[12190]

Hi everyone,
Well I'm done with the first quarter of medical school and I'm probably the worlds biggest idiot but I have spent over $150 on Scrubs/Anatomy attire and gloves for Anatomy because whenever I go in, I come out smelling like **** and no matter how much I wash the clothes, they never loose the scent. I bought my scrubs from wal-mart and then put them in warm water prior to washing them, but the cadaver juice that had gotten on them would not lose its smell.

Are there any type of ultra scrubs that I can buy? I'm also relatively hairy on my arms so I was wondering if there was something that can be used to protect my arms? The smell penetrates into my hair as well so I'm looking for something to deflect it off my body. I've literally been showering so much, that my skin is cracking at my hands due to dryness and my legs are very red as well.

Also, I have been double gloving, but that has not been working to alleviate the smell from my hands. I was wondering if there are any brands for gloves and scrubs that are good in this regard?

I've tried the ones at wal mart but they haven't done a good job.

Thanks in advance!

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[nowonder]

Nitrile gloves tend to keep the funk off a little more, I've found. A far as scrubs? cotton is cotton. It's all going to soak up the smell/gunk. I assume you're wearing a lab coat?

What I would suggest is make friends with the hospital laundry people so you can exchange hospital scrubs with them. Let them launder them, and you don't have to buy any extra. For you arms, I wear a underarmour type shirt under my scrub tops, mostly because it's cold, but I do get some protection. If you do insist on wearing/washing your own, get some Febreeze or oxyclean. Or you could put some plain white vinegar in the bleach dispenser of your washing machine.

honestly, in a few weeks you won't even notice it. I was doing the hyper clean thing like you at the beginning, now I barely remember to wash my hands when I'm finished. You get used to it.

 

[Beta Cell]

First, you sound nuts. I'm not qualified to diagnose anything, but you sound OCD. Second, buy a full length lab coat. We have lab coats and nitrile gloves which seem to do the trick.

 

[tiedyeddog]

1. cheap ones

2. cheap ones

 

[12190]

Nitrile gloves tend to keep the funk off a little more, I've found. A far as scrubs? cotton is cotton. It's all going to soak up the smell/gunk. I assume you're wearing a lab coat?

What I would suggest is make friends with the hospital laundry people so you can exchange hospital scrubs with them. Let them launder them, and you don't have to buy any extra. For you arms, I wear a underarmour type shirt under my scrub tops, mostly because it's cold, but I do get some protection. If you do insist on wearing/washing your own, get some Febreeze or oxyclean. Or you could put some plain white vinegar in the bleach dispenser of your washing machine.

honestly, in a few weeks you won't even notice it. I was doing the hyper clean thing like you at the beginning, now I barely remember to wash my hands when I'm finished. You get used to it.

Thank you for your post. Are there a specific (extra strength) brand of nitrile gloves that you use? I will contact the local hospital to inquire about the laundering of scrubs.

Thanks

 

[235009]

Thank you for your post. Are there a specific (extra strength) brand of nitrile gloves that you use? I will contact the local hospital to inquire about the laundering of scrubs.

Thanks

"the local hospital"? where do you go to school?! if this hospital is not your med school's hospital then don't bother asking...they won't help you.

smelling like formaldehyde is simply a part of being a first year med student. showering after should be sufficient. if it isnt for you then u should work on your showering technique or see a psychiatrist. as for attire ...i wore the same pair of scrubs and $17 walmart shoes all year, would leave them in the anatomy lab locker and just threw them away when i was done. buy the cheapest gloves you can find. it's all in your head.

 

[pkwraith]

There's nothing you can do about the smell. Buy cheapest ones you can. Do not buy any expense scrubs.

I never washed mine ($7/pair). There's no point.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Buy the cheapest lab coat you can find (should be pretty cheap) and maybe some cheap scrub pants. If you spend more than $30, you've failed this exercise. Never wash either. The only thing that's going to keep you and your anatomy lab clothes from smelling like anatomy lab is not going to the anatomy lab, so don't bother trying. Shower normally, and again, don't wash your coat or scrubs. Just toss them in a locker after you're done in the lab.

Nitrile gloves are the way to go, too.

 

[K31]

Best scrubs--free ones. The senior students at my school maintain a stock of scrubs that get passed down to the first years to use until they can steal their own scrubs from the hospital.

Best gloves--whatever you can steal.

 

[KTD]

You can try putting a smelly lotion on your hands and arms before putting on the gloves. I felt like that helped a little.

 

[45408]

First, you sound nuts. I'm not qualified to diagnose anything, but you sound OCD. Second, buy a full length lab coat. We have lab coats and nitrile gloves which seem to do the trick.

1. cheap ones

2. cheap ones

Buy the cheapest lab coat you can find (should be pretty cheap) and maybe some cheap scrub pants. If you spend more than $30, you've failed this exercise. Never wash either. The only thing that's going to keep you and your anatomy lab clothes from smelling like anatomy lab is not going to the anatomy lab, so don't bother trying. Shower normally, and again, don't wash your coat or scrubs. Just toss them in a locker after you're done in the lab.

Nitrile gloves are the way to go, too.

agreed

 

[tiedyeddog]

Maybe this is going to disgust people... but..

A body that has been preserved in formalin isn't "gross" to me at all. I mean the smell bothered me after long periods of time in the lab, but I'd rather the juice from a cadaver touch my arm than clean up cat puke. At least you can rest assured that the juice from a cadaver is bacteria/virus free. I think putting scrubs on is more for protecting your street clothes from getting ruined. You just get used to the smell after awhile. Eating sandwiches with that smell hitting you every time you take a bite just isn't a big deal after awhile.

On a side note, I know an M.D. who did dissection (over sixty years ago) without any form of protection... i.e. barehanded. He is still kicking today. 😛

 

[MossPoh]

I know lots of people who do the dissections without gloves. I just don't want to eat dinner in the evening and be reminded of the person I was wrist deep in a few hours before.

Side note, I'm pretty sure the shoes I wore for anatomy lab are in the same locker still.....I'm a 3rd year. I saw them once second year when I had to go down there for something. That might be what I check on 4th year when back for my FOSCE.

 

[Siverhideo1985]

Aside from gloves you shouldnt be spending any money on anatmoy lab.

1. oldest t-shirt/sweater + oldest pair of pants/"borrowed" hospital scrubs - never wash, never leave on after leaving lab (don't tell me there's no bathroom to change in)...no one cares what you wear in anatomy labs
2. double nitrile gloves to keep hands smell-free
3. switch work out to swimming - chlorine water rids you of the strongest organic compounds and their smell with them

 

[bomgd3]

Dude, you are crazy. There's nothing you can do about the smell, so don't waste your money. I eventually stopped changing at all for anatomy, even GI.

 

[Dral]

First, you sound nuts. I'm not qualified to diagnose anything, but you sound OCD. Second, buy a full length lab coat. We have lab coats and nitrile gloves which seem to do the trick.

Truth. lol Sorry.

We had a locker room where we changed out of our scrubs and left them. Find a bathroom in your school and change out.

Hands...soap should really get the smell out if you're wearing gloves. Don't know what to say.

 

[metalgirl14]

Nitrile gloves for sure and try dish soap for the smell. Other than that, just shower afterwards.

 

[qmcat]

Don't try to wash your anatomy scrubs. Just keep them dirty with formalin on there and throw them away when the anatomy course is over.

Also, make sure you use soap when you shower.

 

[mishaS]

Just like everyone said, you're crazy, and there isn't much you can do about except to get nitrile gloves. They did have some industrial looking soap in the prosection room though that was for the prosectors, which worked worlds better than the normal bathroom soap though. We just finished anatomy, and I don't remember what it's called, but maybe you can ask your prosectors what soap they're given by the school.

 

[mishaS]

I just had a stroke of genius, and I'm generous so I'll share it: make a nitrile lab suit. To prevent any smell from getting in, make this thing a onesie with footies, and a hood that'll look like an attached swimmers cap. Again, to prevent any of the gross air from getting in, it has to be skin tight. It'd be up to you if you fill the inside with lotion to make it easy to get in and out of. Add a trap door if needed.

 

[jessiemsy]

3. switch work out to swimming - chlorine water rids you of the strongest organic compounds and their smell with them

Actually this is awesome advice 🙂

 

[eagles22]

I have a friend who uses baby powder on his hands and in between his double gloves. He says it keeps his hands not smelly of formaldehyde. Too much work if you ask me.