Jul 30, 2007 10:59 pm US/Pacific
Pa. Hospital Bans Crocs
PITTSBURGH (AP) ―
Crocs, the rubbery, clog-like shoes, have been deemed inappropriate footwear for workers in patient-care areas at a hospital.
Holes that ventilate the shoes pose a safety hazard, said Sharon Krystofiak, Mercy Hospital's infection control manager.
"If there's a chance you could drop something like a syringe in one of them, we want to avoid that," Krystofiak said. "Some of those holes are relatively large, almost like a dime."
Mercy nurse Kara Depasquale, 23, was wearing Crocs on Monday, when the policy went into effect. She called it ridiculous.
"I mean, I can get a needle stuck in my arm or my leg," Depasquale said. "I work 12-hour shifts, and I'm constantly on my feet."
Crocs, based in Niwot, Colo., about 30 miles north of Denver, sells shoes in at least 80 countries.
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