Short answer. Replace when the seat bags, the knees shine, the color goes dull, or a seam opens. For most full-time nurses that is 9–18 months per set, not five years.
Visible tells
A seat that stays sat. A knee that stays bent. A navy that has become grey-blue. Those are retirement, not character.
What to do with the old set
Charting days, painting weekends, or textile recycling. Do not keep a collapsed set in the clean rotation — it lowers the bar for everything next to it.
Shop medical scrubs at Yireh
The Classic V-Neck set ($86), The Zip-Front Jumpsuit ($98), and The Fashion Flare set ($86) are built as medical scrubs — nine colors, real pockets, a cut you will still wear at hour ten. Replace with a current set.
