Malaysians Voice Support For Nurses To Wear Scrubs At Work
Nurses in government hospitals and clinics have to wear the thick, white uniforms that can be impractical in some emergency situations.
Subscribe to our Telegram channel or follow us on the Lumi News app for the latest stories and updates.
During the Health White Paper debate in Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, PAS’ Kuantan MP Wan Razali Wan Nor was criticised after he argued that the uniform for female nurses in government hospitals and clinics was too tight and not syariah compliant.
READ MORE: PAS MP Draws Backlash After Sparking Controversy With Remarks On Nurses’ Uniforms
The nurse’s uniform is white and made out of thick material to protect them from spills and splashes while working with patients. The uniform is meant to serve as a barrier to prevent cross-contamination and infections as well.
However, the thick material also meant that it was hard for nurses to move in and it traps heat.
Not just that, material kain itself tak sesuai. Even berkerja dlm hospital beraircond pun still panas & tak selesa. Sekali attend CPR, lencun berlumuih.
— Nadhirah. (@intanzlkfl) June 16, 2023
Hal pakaian ni, dh banyak kali diutarakan. Survey beribu jawab, tapi tula matron & sister KKM ni degil nak mamposssss.
Isunya bukan warna. Tapi panas & susah nak buat kerja. Cadang banyak kali pakai scrub suit, tapi matron & sister kkm ni bodoh degil nak mampos. Diorang yelah duduk makan taik kat aircond, misi baju putih yg kerja mcm nak mampos
— marryanne (@marryannewitch) June 15, 2023
While most places have upgraded their nurse uniforms to scrubs for practicality, it seems like Malaysia’s government hospitals and clinics have not.
The issue has also raised a discourse among netizens regarding the proper uniforms for nurses. Some said they should be asking nurses for feedback since they are the ones wearing the uniform daily to work.
A netizen who claimed to be a nurse said they preferred wearing scrubs as it’s comfortable and easy to work in, especially when there’s an emergency.
Another netizen also shared a video that showed two nurses in standard white uniforms having to climb up a steep hill to administer aid.
The video claimed that nurses had to endure hot weather, rain, and even floods while in uniform due to the Health Ministry’s directive.
The video made netizens question whether the white nurse uniform is practical for nurses who have to make house calls in remote parts of the country.
as a nurse yes prefer pkai scrub sbb lebih longgar and comfortable. senang nak buat krja especially bila emergency
— matcha latte 🌿 (@Lotipot) June 16, 2023
Iya. @KKMPutrajaya mmg tak pernh fikir. Cuaca panas. Pakai baju uniform . Ni nurse nak g Home visit patient dlm hutan pun wajib pakai uniform. Aku ingt lg aku kene pergi buat medical visit time banjir. Arahan dr PKD utk nurses pakai uniform pergi redah banjir n hujan. Bangang https://t.co/wNZjqXrcjc pic.twitter.com/FWdDfeiI2j
— apikovic (@apikovic) June 16, 2023
The support to switch to scrubs
A Twitter user @datukhensem asked whether the government has ever carried out a survey to ask the nurses if the white and thick uniform was practical at work.
He suggested that the government should start introducing scrubs for nurses like in the United States and the United Kingdom.
In Malaysia, he said nurses could still wear the tudung and long sleeves with the scrubs.
Another netizen Dr Syameer Firdaus (@syameer95) said healthcare workers in Malaysia like nurses deserve uniforms made with cooling material since they work in a humid climate.
Netizens also believe that uniform guidelines should be flexible based on situations. In most cases, a scrub uniform would be much more practical and comfortable for nurses who are always on the go.
Persoalan yang patut ditanya ialah adakah masih wajar nurse pakai uniform yang sekarang ni. Pernah ke gov buat survey, nurse2 selesa ke pakai baju putih and kain tebal as uniform. Seluar iron tajam.
— Datuk Jahat Hensem (@datukhensem) June 15, 2023
Cuba tengok dekat US/UK, most nurse dah pakai scrubs je kot. https://t.co/QhlVlil0av pic.twitter.com/KRcecC7jYs
Nurses in Malaysia deserve better. Probably scrub made with cooling material which is specially designed to cater to the work needs and the hot humid environment would be helpful.
— Dr. Syameer Firdaus (@syameer95) June 16, 2023
I don’t expect much from any of those PAS MPs anyway but please be reasonable. 🤷
Tolong lah pakai scrub suit. And sport shoes.
— nadhirah 🇲🇾🇧🇭 (@fnadhirahh93) June 15, 2023
Pleaseeee. Ko nak berlari senang.
Nak cpr senang.
Sumpah best. Tak de shape2 pinggang2 seksi2.
Kerja luar negara semua pakai scrub suit. Please la buat utk nurse malaysia sekali 🤲🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻😊😊😊 https://t.co/P5iwTSJheR
While it’s totally understood that uniforms are there, well simply put, for uniformity, strict adherence to uniform guidelines should allow for adjustments according to situational challenges.
— Adit Rahim (@AditRahim) June 17, 2023
Thank you for listening, @DrZalihaMustafa. Help healthcare workers work comfortably. https://t.co/AkHRDdVueS
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
