All staff involved in caring for patients should be 'bare below the elbows' to ensure sleeves do not become contaminated and hands can be washed thoroughly to prevent infections passed around the ward.
However female Muslim staff had been concerned about the rule as exposure of their forearms is seen as immodest. Staff in several hospitals had reportedly refused to expose their arms for hand washing and 'scrubbing in' procedures before surgery. [telegraph.co.uk] Read more
