"outdoor shoes in the operating theatre"

Anything else?

When I went to the infirmary for my operation, I'd forgotten to take my slippers. When it was time for me to go in to the operating theatre, they insisted I kept my shoes on until I'd actually walked across the main operating theatre and climbed up on to the actual operating table itself. I explained to the staff that these were the shoes I'd worn to go down to the paddock and in to the stables to feed my horses that morning, but they didn't seem to think this was a problem. I'd hate to think what sort of germs were on my shoes, and I'm sure they shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near the operating theatre, let alone be encouraged to actually climb on to the table in them. Should patients actually have to walk in to the main theatre area anyway? When I've had operations at other hospitals, I've only ever been as far as the little anasthetic room before being anaesthatised. Finally, although I was told I would be screened for mrsa before I was due to be admitted for the operation, this never actually happened.