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Crocs Banned In UK Hospitals Over Safety Fears, Nurses Outraged

Crocs Ban

The Huffington Post   First Posted: 09/14/11 05:29 PM ET Updated: 11/14/11 05:12 AM ET

Crocs, those quirky, brightly colored rubber clogs, may have fallen out of fashion with the masses since 2007. But for nurses and doctors, the comfortable and easy-to-clean shoes are a lifeline.

That might explain why British hospital staff are outraged over the U.K. National Health Service banning Crocs, reports The Telegraph.

The reason for the ban? Hospitals point to health and safety -- they are concerned sharp objects like syringes could pierce through the iconic holes, reports The Daily Mail.

One nurse, infuriated by the move, told the Daily Mail other, more important, issues should take precedence. "It would be interesting to see what the public think of this as it's their NHS. We should be more concerned with care delivery," she said. "I'm sure no one really cares what's on our feet as we don't look at patients and their families and judge them on what they're wearing."

According to Business Insider, the ban comes on the heels of similar moves at hospitals in the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Austria.

In 2010, the Associated Press reported that the Colorado-based footwear company agreed to pay $230,000 in EPA fines over false claims that the shoes were antimicrobial. Crocs have since stopped using that description.

The Crocs ban should please fashionistas who abhor the shoe, along with followers of the I Hate Crocs Blog and Facebook's 1.6 million members of the I Dont Care How Comfortable Crocs Are, You Look Like A Dumb ***.

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Crocs, those quirky, brightly colored rubber clogs, may have fallen out of fashion with the masses since 2007. But for nurses and doctors, the comfortable and easy-to-clean shoes are a lifeline. T...
Crocs, those quirky, brightly colored rubber clogs, may have fallen out of fashion with the masses since 2007. But for nurses and doctors, the comfortable and easy-to-clean shoes are a lifeline. T...
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Atwill
Christian puppets scare me
08:47 PM on 09/18/2011
What a croc. OK I had to type it. now. As a nurse, yes a male nurse, I fail to see why any nurse would wear these. I do see the danger in them. I want somehthng to cover my foot, not look "Nice." Plus the top of your foot is left exposed. I work with blood, needles and other "Fun " things all day, I dont want any of it on my foot.
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cuoi
I wish everyone happiness.
05:04 PM on 09/18/2011
Do they stil make earf shoes?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
reasonshouldrule
08:41 PM on 09/18/2011
LOL!
12:45 AM on 09/18/2011
Uh, they make them without holes. A lot of restaurant workers wear them because they're easy to hose off at the end of the shift.
12:38 AM on 09/18/2011
What a croc...
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QuercusQate
Nomo DOMA.
08:05 PM on 09/17/2011
I was burning my ranch trash in a barrel while wearing Crocs. Some flaming debris floated out of the barrel and onto some cheat grass, and subsequently into adjacent dry brush. I spent ten desperate minutes stomping out the spreading fire, trying to smother the flames by kick-shoveling sand onto them--with my hot and hole-y, melting Crocs. I will never again compromise safety for comfort.

That said--falling needles? They don't sound like that big a risk.
02:44 PM on 09/17/2011
The first time pee leaks through your Croc Holes... you'll switch. GO NEW BALANCE!!!
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Fi
A Gluten-Free life!
10:35 AM on 09/17/2011
The only way my NHS hosp is going to get me out of my Crocs, is when they pay for another pair of shoes, I love my Crocs.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Atwill
Christian puppets scare me
08:48 PM on 09/18/2011
If you are a nurse, you are a fool.
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Fi
A Gluten-Free life!
04:42 AM on 09/19/2011
Then I have been a fool for nearly 25 years.
Why do you say that?
07:23 PM on 09/16/2011
Same with leather and canvas too. What should be required, steel toed hiking boots?

They work their bums off taking care of everybody without they pay and respect they deserve. At least let them be comfortable.
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AKansasComment
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
03:10 PM on 09/16/2011
Should we make nurses go back to wearing little white caps, too?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SLABRN
04:18 PM on 09/16/2011
No but I would take issue of a nurse's hair (or clothing/stethoscope/jewelry/anything else) hanging over an open wound while being re-dressed for sure. Gross for the patient and the nurse. As a med/surg nurse, I re-dressed large gaping belly wounds quite regularly. I never wore jewelry and always had my hair up and back. I have to say I did wear crocs for a short period but they did not have the comfort of a good walking shoe and every nurse on my floor had dedicated shoes JUST for work considering all the MRSA and MRE on our floor.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SLABRN
04:19 PM on 09/16/2011
Oh, and New Balance? Totally made in USA, at least for now. Just for those who are interested, lol.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Atwill
Christian puppets scare me
11:19 AM on 09/19/2011
thank you. I am also a nurse, though i have never had to dress BIG gaping wounds like in the OR, I have had my share of cleaning wounds and dressing and dealing with needles. you are 100% right.
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Fi
A Gluten-Free life!
04:43 AM on 09/19/2011
They did cover that "I can't be bothered hair do".
02:37 PM on 09/16/2011
Crocs are great! The crocks are easily cleaned and they are anti static that means that they are ideal for theatre. I can see the point with regards to needles being dropped but what if that same needle should hit you in the leg? Most needle stick injuries happen when people accidently stab themselves in the hand so im not sure why the NHS is going so mad for this idea, it sounds like a gimmick. After all the odds of this theoretical falling needle actually finding a hole rather than shoe is minimal and then it has to be needle down rather than hitting the shoe sideways.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Charles Queen
I am a disabled nam vet
02:47 PM on 09/16/2011
I have some friends that worked in disposal of biohazordous waste,medical waste etc.Many of them have been stuck with needles numerous times and they always have to go to the hospital and then are monitored for up to and over 6 months in some cases.Now thats scary thing to get stuck with a used needle that they have no way of what it had been used for
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07:27 PM on 09/15/2011
One other thing about crocs: most shoes manufactured today are loaded with formaldehyde -- it's in the glue they're made with. . For people who are allergic to formaldehyde, Crocs are a godsend. Formaldehyde allergy causes huge blood blisters to form of the soles of the feet. When these blisters crack open, they leave the soles raw, skinless and bloody, making walking painful and difficult. Some of the Crocs knockoffs -- Gators? -- do contain formaldehyde, so caveat emptor. IMO, for those of us with the allergy, it pays to spend a little extra on the brand-name shoe.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mallenrohslvr
07:14 PM on 09/15/2011
I hate crocs, they're sooooooo ugly but I do have to point out, the UK NHS board DOES know that there are crocs out there ( or some sort of knock-off) that doesn't have the holes, right? why don't the nurses/drs just switch to the hole-free croc things? problem solved
11:10 PM on 09/15/2011
I was with you in thinking they are majorly ugly...never wanted to join the Croc bandwagon but have suffered through foot pain for the last year and snagged my son's crocks during a marathon cooking session...pure heaven. Now I wear them all the time at home- to town and work. I still hate how they look but I change to better looking shoes when meeting with clients-shopping,etc. Still vain. Broke a vase today and had no problem walking through the glass and the chances of getting stuck through the small holes has to be miniscule. Nurses are on their feet forever they deserve to wear what they want and assume the risk. I like your idea of the hole-less crock.
07:26 PM on 09/16/2011
They are ugly but my kids and friends love them. Not a member of the club but I did wear my godson's once to get firewood. They are comfy. Just cannot get past the look.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
stape45
It IS what it IS!
12:01 AM on 09/16/2011
My wife says they're so comfortable, she doesn't care what they look like.
06:49 PM on 09/15/2011
Well I have one thing to say, The Shoes Are Great!! I have worked for the company for years, and they are all I ware now.People who have a phobia about them have Never tried them.Crocs, does not just have those colorful ICONIC shoes anymore, Just go to the web site www.crocs.com you will be very surprized.Anyone who is negitive about these shoes, needs to give them a try. They are grate for people who are on their feet all day long. And as far as the medical profession is conserned, we carry a closed toe anti skid model. So Get a life, O And the company is now the 3rd largest in the world!!!!! We have contributed millions and millions of pairs to Hati, and Japan, and any other natural disaster around. So Get a life you croc haters
06:43 PM on 09/15/2011
The are just ugly. I know they wear them for comfort and that explains nurses and hospital people, but what about the rest of the people I see in these things? I worked with a woman who wore them all the time....she even had Croc boots. She was unattractive to start with and these sure did not add to the overall effect. It looked like she had tires tired onto her feet.
07:27 PM on 09/16/2011
Kinda mean. ;-(
06:15 PM on 09/15/2011
now if we can just get Mario Batali to stop wearing them the world will be right again =)
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jukesgrrl
Hands off SS, Medicare & Medicaid
05:53 PM on 09/17/2011
He stands all day and probably spills food (maybe even raw chicken juice for example) on his feet. In these circumstances Crocs are an idea product for his lifestyle. I doubt he's going to change, nor should he have to.