Most nurses can’t launder uniforms at work, poll suggests
Nursing Standard survey follows study findings on possible COVID-19 transmission when washing work clothing at home
Nine out of ten nurses and other healthcare staff have no access to laundry facilities at work, according to a Nursing Standard Twitter survey.
The survey followed research highlighting the potential danger of COVID-19 transmission through washing workwear at home. The 24-hour straw poll on Twitter on 1 March asked nurses ‘Does your workplace have laundry facilities for staff?’
Danger of traces transferring to other surfaces before washing
The snap poll received 355 responses. Of these, 309 people (87%), said their workplace does not have laundry facilities for staff, 24 (7%) said their workplace does and the same number said they did not know.
All uniforms were laundered in Belfast Trust when I worked there as a Healthcare Assistant 1997-2000. When I qualified in 2003 my new trust didn't provide the service.
— Jennifer Foreman (@foreman_barkley) March 2, 2021
They did 10 years ago when I started with my trust. No idea if it’s still a thing now though. I stopped using it as it was unreliable. There were days where my uniform wasn’t available, or I was given someone elses. There was no physical person to speak to if you had any problems
— ᗩᗰII ✨ (@amii0484) March 2, 2021
Researchers from De Montfort University in Leicester carried out the original study, which is undergoing peer review. They say that although the virus will be removed by washing clothes with detergent in a domestic washing machine at 40°C, there is a danger of traces transferring to other surfaces in the home before washing.
RCN says all employers should consider laundering uniforms for staff
The RCN says that where facilities exist, it expects all employers to consider laundering uniforms for staff to reduce the reliance on home laundering.
The straw poll received a range of comments from nursing staff, including community nurses, who said it is not practical for them to wash their uniforms at work.
Following the tweet as I am a community nurse practitioner. Definitely not practical to wash uniform within a community setting.
— Danielle Burt RNA (@danielleburt87) March 1, 2021
RCN professional lead for infection prevention and control Rose Gallagher said: ‘National recommendations state that uniforms should be laundered on-site by healthcare laundry services.
‘All such arrangements must comply with infection prevention standards. Where the facility exists, staff should have access to this facility to launder their own uniforms or workwear.
‘If laundered at home, uniforms or workwear should be laundered separately from other household linen in a load not more than half the machine capacity at the maximum temperature the fabric can tolerate.’
Guidance on washing uniforms
NHS guidance on uniforms and workwear states:
- There is little effective difference between domestic and commercial laundering in terms of removing micro-organisms from uniforms and workwear
- Washing with detergents at 30°C will remove most micro-organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
- A ten-minute wash at 60°C is sufficient to remove almost all micro-organisms
Source: Uniforms and Workwear: Guidance for NHS Employers (NHS England and NHS Improvement)
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Uniforms and Workwear: Guidance for NHS Employers (NHS England and NHS Improvement)
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