Nice article, and yes one remembers corded blankets.
For All You Hospital Laundry Guys
- Thread starter launderess
- Start date
Help Support :
One For All You Hospital Laundry Guys
Nice article, and from one who made many a hospital bed, and remembers corded blankets.
Nice article, and from one who made many a hospital bed, and remembers corded blankets.
It's interesting to see the changes in hospital laundry over the years, and even the cleanliness and professionalism of hospitals in general.
I come from a long line of nurses, and am amazed at how the standards in hospitals has changed. My mom used to wear her starched whites every day. She occasionally wore the white pants, but she typically wore the white skirt, white hose, white blouse and white lab coat. She topped it off with a white hat. I remember admiring the high level of professionalism in seeing her in her starched whites walking out the door before sunrise to go to work.
I also remember visiting her at the hospital at times and smelling the clean and sterile environment. Now you see nurses wearing frumpy scrubs (many un-ironed, much less bright and fresh looking). You see carpet in the hallways and wallpaper on the walls that are all very difficult to keep clean, and show stains as a result.
I remember the crisp sheets with mitered hospital corners and fresh blankets to top the bed. Now there are fresh sheets and blankets, but the bottom fitted sheet on the bed is some flannel-looking type thing (I'm not an expert in textiles by any means). I've never actually been a patient in a hospital before, but I can imagine I would not be very comfortable in those sheets, and would long for my own bed where I have crisp clean sheets with freshly ironed pillowcases.
It also seems that the rate of staph infections in hospitals is increasing - probably due in part to decreased standards of cleanliness. It's amazing how we now have the amazing technology to better diagnose, treat and even help prevent certain diseases, but our overall standards of cleanliness have gone down the drain.
Is it just me, or has anyone else observed this?
I come from a long line of nurses, and am amazed at how the standards in hospitals has changed. My mom used to wear her starched whites every day. She occasionally wore the white pants, but she typically wore the white skirt, white hose, white blouse and white lab coat. She topped it off with a white hat. I remember admiring the high level of professionalism in seeing her in her starched whites walking out the door before sunrise to go to work.
I also remember visiting her at the hospital at times and smelling the clean and sterile environment. Now you see nurses wearing frumpy scrubs (many un-ironed, much less bright and fresh looking). You see carpet in the hallways and wallpaper on the walls that are all very difficult to keep clean, and show stains as a result.
I remember the crisp sheets with mitered hospital corners and fresh blankets to top the bed. Now there are fresh sheets and blankets, but the bottom fitted sheet on the bed is some flannel-looking type thing (I'm not an expert in textiles by any means). I've never actually been a patient in a hospital before, but I can imagine I would not be very comfortable in those sheets, and would long for my own bed where I have crisp clean sheets with freshly ironed pillowcases.
It also seems that the rate of staph infections in hospitals is increasing - probably due in part to decreased standards of cleanliness. It's amazing how we now have the amazing technology to better diagnose, treat and even help prevent certain diseases, but our overall standards of cleanliness have gone down the drain.
Is it just me, or has anyone else observed this?
Nice article, Laundress. My wife works in the laundry at one of the local hospitals. I'll make sure she sees the article.
Many factors have gone into the changes one sees in not only Amercian but Western European hosptials as well. Changes in the nursing profession, and the nursing shortage has played a major role in shaping how things are done these days. There is also a desire by hospital management to cut costs (or, save money).
In terms of hosptial linen, many changes started when hospitals began to close in house laundries and move to sending their linens to a service.
In my day, learning to make three kinds of patient beds with mitered corners, was standard part of Nursing 101. Indeed one could get very bad marks indeed for a poorly made bed. However today many nurses complain the average American hospital patient is not only sicker, but larger (read over weight),and shifting him or her about to make an occupied bed with corners is difficult to do on one's own, thus requiring two nurses, and even then. So in came fitted sheets, which not only made the job easier, but saved over all time in doing the beds for the nursing staff (including nursing assistants).
Hospitals also began moving away from linens which required laundering, to disposables where possible to save both on linen costs and laundering. As one can imagine, hospital linens can be stained and fouled with all manner and sorts of fluids and medications, that do not always wash out. Badly stained linen must be withdrawn from service and replaced. In the old days pure cotton linens were cut down for bandages and other uses, but those days are long gone. Also the harsh laundering (high water temperatures and high pH detergents, LCB)caused linens to wear out a great deal, this also means increased costs as replacements had to be ordered.
As for "starched whites" and caps, well they pretty much have gone by the wayside in both the States and EU, though have heard about a few places here and there that keep their nurses in at least whites (with or without caps). Oddly one still finds the traditional uniform in places with very strong ideas about a female's role in society, such as Japan, Mexico, and other Asian and South American countries.
Caps went out because not only where they unhygenic (few if anyone bothered to launder, starch and iron the darn things), and the modern nursing profession felt they were a throw back to nurses being "handmaidens" or "servants". Same with whites, as "the Profession" felt nurses should resemble other "medical" professions and wear scrubs or simply a white lab coat over street clothing.
Back in the old days the only nurses who got to wear scrubs were those working on critical care units, or in the OR, or L&D, and even then it was more likely to be OR "dresses" than scrubs. It was sort of like a status thing, since if you went off the unit, everyone knew you were not simply a "bedside" nurse. The rationale for keeping nurses out of scurbs, at least on the floors was that people might mistake them for doctors.
Quite honestly, and one knowns many medical professionals who say the same thing, if one does not have to be in hospital, the better off you are. If you do have to go, stay in only as long as required and then go home. Sadly it seems we've moved back the the old days where one can emerge from a hospital sicker than one was when one went in.
In terms of hosptial linen, many changes started when hospitals began to close in house laundries and move to sending their linens to a service.
In my day, learning to make three kinds of patient beds with mitered corners, was standard part of Nursing 101. Indeed one could get very bad marks indeed for a poorly made bed. However today many nurses complain the average American hospital patient is not only sicker, but larger (read over weight),and shifting him or her about to make an occupied bed with corners is difficult to do on one's own, thus requiring two nurses, and even then. So in came fitted sheets, which not only made the job easier, but saved over all time in doing the beds for the nursing staff (including nursing assistants).
Hospitals also began moving away from linens which required laundering, to disposables where possible to save both on linen costs and laundering. As one can imagine, hospital linens can be stained and fouled with all manner and sorts of fluids and medications, that do not always wash out. Badly stained linen must be withdrawn from service and replaced. In the old days pure cotton linens were cut down for bandages and other uses, but those days are long gone. Also the harsh laundering (high water temperatures and high pH detergents, LCB)caused linens to wear out a great deal, this also means increased costs as replacements had to be ordered.
As for "starched whites" and caps, well they pretty much have gone by the wayside in both the States and EU, though have heard about a few places here and there that keep their nurses in at least whites (with or without caps). Oddly one still finds the traditional uniform in places with very strong ideas about a female's role in society, such as Japan, Mexico, and other Asian and South American countries.
Caps went out because not only where they unhygenic (few if anyone bothered to launder, starch and iron the darn things), and the modern nursing profession felt they were a throw back to nurses being "handmaidens" or "servants". Same with whites, as "the Profession" felt nurses should resemble other "medical" professions and wear scrubs or simply a white lab coat over street clothing.
Back in the old days the only nurses who got to wear scrubs were those working on critical care units, or in the OR, or L&D, and even then it was more likely to be OR "dresses" than scrubs. It was sort of like a status thing, since if you went off the unit, everyone knew you were not simply a "bedside" nurse. The rationale for keeping nurses out of scurbs, at least on the floors was that people might mistake them for doctors.
Quite honestly, and one knowns many medical professionals who say the same thing, if one does not have to be in hospital, the better off you are. If you do have to go, stay in only as long as required and then go home. Sadly it seems we've moved back the the old days where one can emerge from a hospital sicker than one was when one went in.
Saw the Article in my LN too
In most hospital plant as ours,Speed of processing dictates how items are now processed. While I for one would love to still iron scrubwear it is no longer cost effective from a labor standpoint. Machine folding scrubs can now be done at a rate that hand folders could never achieve.And will produce a more sanitary garment, as not being handled so much. Most of the linen we buy now is on ROL (Run of the loom)contract to keep pricing at low levels. We usually will receive approx. 5% seconds on ROL . Also I am seeing ever changing cotton/ poly mixtures.. At one time 50/50 was the rule. now 55/45 , 60/40 and even 25/75 are seen.. As well as a new line from Medline Hospital Supply with is 100%poly. They label as PerforMax line. and are warranted to last 3X as long as other sheets.. And can be processed at 2x speed on the flatwork Ironer or Tumble Dried in 50%of the time normally used for regular no iron linens.. We tried them and a 50 lb load dried in our tumblers in 8 min with a 5 min cool down. But by the time they were folded were just too wrinkled to be of any use. They do Iron at the highest speed on our ironer (90 feet per min). and Fold out well. They do require a much lower Ironing temp. also 250 instead of 350.. Can make a big difference in the gas bills.
Bryan:
Yes, too many of the nurses today look like they slept in the uniforms.. Mainly beacuse the hospitals will no longer laundry them.. Most require that all the nurses now do all thir own uniforms. Most have no time to do anything but wash and wear. This is also one of the reasone that you can leave the hospital sicker that when you went in.. Too many "outside uniforms' are worn in areas where they really should not be. Just more cost cutting.. I have been appalled in the last few years at our hospitals having even surgery nurses now do their own uniforms.. Scrubs are now only supplied for Drs. in all of our hospitals. And there has been nurses even fired for wearing the Drs scrubs.
In most hospital plant as ours,Speed of processing dictates how items are now processed. While I for one would love to still iron scrubwear it is no longer cost effective from a labor standpoint. Machine folding scrubs can now be done at a rate that hand folders could never achieve.And will produce a more sanitary garment, as not being handled so much. Most of the linen we buy now is on ROL (Run of the loom)contract to keep pricing at low levels. We usually will receive approx. 5% seconds on ROL . Also I am seeing ever changing cotton/ poly mixtures.. At one time 50/50 was the rule. now 55/45 , 60/40 and even 25/75 are seen.. As well as a new line from Medline Hospital Supply with is 100%poly. They label as PerforMax line. and are warranted to last 3X as long as other sheets.. And can be processed at 2x speed on the flatwork Ironer or Tumble Dried in 50%of the time normally used for regular no iron linens.. We tried them and a 50 lb load dried in our tumblers in 8 min with a 5 min cool down. But by the time they were folded were just too wrinkled to be of any use. They do Iron at the highest speed on our ironer (90 feet per min). and Fold out well. They do require a much lower Ironing temp. also 250 instead of 350.. Can make a big difference in the gas bills.
Bryan:
Yes, too many of the nurses today look like they slept in the uniforms.. Mainly beacuse the hospitals will no longer laundry them.. Most require that all the nurses now do all thir own uniforms. Most have no time to do anything but wash and wear. This is also one of the reasone that you can leave the hospital sicker that when you went in.. Too many "outside uniforms' are worn in areas where they really should not be. Just more cost cutting.. I have been appalled in the last few years at our hospitals having even surgery nurses now do their own uniforms.. Scrubs are now only supplied for Drs. in all of our hospitals. And there has been nurses even fired for wearing the Drs scrubs.
whirlcool
Well-known member
The nurse in my flight surgeons office runs the place like an Army drill instructor. Very business like and she won't stand for any silliness of tom foolery.
On one visit I asked her why she doesn't wear her nursing hat, she said nobody really wears them anymore because they are difficult to keep clean. But she promised on my next visit she would wear hers just for me. And she did!
She said the best thing to get blood stains out of them is good old hydrogen peroxide. It dissolves blood instantly. I asked her how in the world do you get blood on your hat? She said in most ER's, blood actually can fly up that high!
On one visit I asked her why she doesn't wear her nursing hat, she said nobody really wears them anymore because they are difficult to keep clean. But she promised on my next visit she would wear hers just for me. And she did!
She said the best thing to get blood stains out of them is good old hydrogen peroxide. It dissolves blood instantly. I asked her how in the world do you get blood on your hat? She said in most ER's, blood actually can fly up that high!
Caps:
Nurses stopped wearing them because studies found they were most always contaminated by germs. Few if any nurses by the late 1980's or so (last big heyday of the darn things), laundered them daily, much less weekly, or sent them out. Nurses locker rooms would find the things scattered about on the floor, loged behind lockers and so forth.
As nurses moved to become more "professional" there was a push to get out of starched whites and caps, the later being seen by many modern nurses as a throw back to "servant" days, which is where the tradition came from.
Darn things fell off at the worst times, like right into a full bed pan or into a clean or sterile field one was either helping with a proceedure or changing a dressing. They also made getting around a bed difficult. Cannot imagine having to deal with the very sick patients hospitals have today, connected to so many tubes and machines, trying to weave and bob about to keep one's cap from getting caught or knocked off. Of course if all one is doing is sitting behind a desk or some such, guess it would be fine.
As for body fluids, one's blood is moved about by the heart, which provides quite a great bit of pressure there. That Julia Childs sketch from SNL where she cuts an artery and gushes blood over the place, isn't that far off the mark.
Sheets:
As one who owns lots of vintage Pequot heavy muslin linens, am here to tell you they are a pain to iron. Things are heavy and cotton holds water, so even on the highest setting on my Pfaff ironer, have to use the slowest speed to make sure things are ironed dry and smooth.
Have vintage laundry and housekeeping manuals going back one hundred years or more, and most all suggested housewives use percale instead of heavy muslin because of the difficulty in laundering. Muslin was the "inexpensive" bed linens for those who could not afford percales or linen. Muslin was almost always used in the nursery and sick room (hence hospitals), because it wears very well, and can withstand repeated harsh laundering. Even though percale has a higher thread count than muslin, the later has thicker threads, hence better wear.
Nurses stopped wearing them because studies found they were most always contaminated by germs. Few if any nurses by the late 1980's or so (last big heyday of the darn things), laundered them daily, much less weekly, or sent them out. Nurses locker rooms would find the things scattered about on the floor, loged behind lockers and so forth.
As nurses moved to become more "professional" there was a push to get out of starched whites and caps, the later being seen by many modern nurses as a throw back to "servant" days, which is where the tradition came from.
Darn things fell off at the worst times, like right into a full bed pan or into a clean or sterile field one was either helping with a proceedure or changing a dressing. They also made getting around a bed difficult. Cannot imagine having to deal with the very sick patients hospitals have today, connected to so many tubes and machines, trying to weave and bob about to keep one's cap from getting caught or knocked off. Of course if all one is doing is sitting behind a desk or some such, guess it would be fine.
As for body fluids, one's blood is moved about by the heart, which provides quite a great bit of pressure there. That Julia Childs sketch from SNL where she cuts an artery and gushes blood over the place, isn't that far off the mark.
Sheets:
As one who owns lots of vintage Pequot heavy muslin linens, am here to tell you they are a pain to iron. Things are heavy and cotton holds water, so even on the highest setting on my Pfaff ironer, have to use the slowest speed to make sure things are ironed dry and smooth.
Have vintage laundry and housekeeping manuals going back one hundred years or more, and most all suggested housewives use percale instead of heavy muslin because of the difficulty in laundering. Muslin was the "inexpensive" bed linens for those who could not afford percales or linen. Muslin was almost always used in the nursery and sick room (hence hospitals), because it wears very well, and can withstand repeated harsh laundering. Even though percale has a higher thread count than muslin, the later has thicker threads, hence better wear.
