What items comprise proper operating room attire?

• A. Scrubs
• B. Scrubs and caps
• C. Scrubs, caps, masks and shoe covers
• D. Caps only

Answer: (C)

Maintaining a sterile field relies on blocking contamination from multiple sources: clothing, hair, breath, and footwear. Scrubs provide a clean base layer; caps prevent hair and scalp particles from falling into the sterile area; masks limit the spread of respiratory droplets that could carry bacteria to the wound; shoe covers stop dirt and microbes from shoes from entering the OR environment. Using all of these together reduces contamination at several points, which is why this combination is the proper operating room attire. Scrubs alone misses hair containment and respiratory protection and footwear containment; caps alone miss clothing and respiratory and footwear protection; while caps with scrubs omit respiratory and footwear protection. Thus, scrubs, caps, masks, and shoe covers form the appropriate ensemble.