There he stood as he purchased his movie ticket. I could not believe my eyes: Blue scrubs and his white lab coat with the name of one of our local hospitals clearly monogrammed.

Weird, he is not a physician, yet a stethoscope was draped around his neck.

What was he thinking? Maybe he was on a break from work. But wait, a movie is about two hours long, so he couldn't be on a break.

Wearing medical scrubs in and out of the workplace made me wonder just how germ-free a medical environment may be. Is there potential for cross-contamination?

At work, one may come into contact with any form of infection or biohazard and may take it home. On the other hand, someone can take germs or infections into the medical setting.

If you are ill, most employers expect you to stay home for fear of infecting your co-workers. Lab coats and linens are usually professionally cleaned. Any medical uniforms laundered at home should be washed in hot water and bleach and done separately from the family laundry.

Many of my friends in the medical profession go home after work and change their clothes before greeting their children or preparing dinner. And that practice is not only in the medical field. Correctional officers, meat clerks and spa and gym attendants should also be aware of the dangers of contaminating their loved ones because of what they come in contact with on a daily basis.

Read more: http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110618/OPINION02/106180301/Mary-Vargas-Dress-success-not-disease?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Opinion.