A hospital in the UK is believed to be the first to introduce disposable and sterile headscarves for their religious staff members to wear in operating theaters, the BBC has reported.
The issue was raised when junior doctor Farah Roslan, who is Muslim, thought of the idea during her training at the Royal Derby Hospital, in Derby, England.
Many Muslim women choose to wear a hijab as a way of protecting their modesty and privacy from unrelated males (in its most traditional form).
Watch the heartwarming moment soccer players surround their opponent as she adjusts her hijab during a game:Speaking to BBC Radio Derby, Roslan revealed how the thought came about while she was a medical student at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust. She became concerned about the risk of infections after realising she had been wearing the same hijab throughout the day.
Ms Roslan, who now works in Lincolnshire, told the radio station:
"I'd been using [the same headscarf] all day which obviously wasn't clean and ideal. I didn't feel comfortable taking it off and I was pulled out from the theatre, respectfully, due to infection control."
The junior doctor now believes that a middle ground has been found between "dress code due to faith" and the "passion" of working in the operating theatre.
In a Facebook post, the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust said:
"We are proud to be national leaders of good practice and inclusivity.
We believe we are the first Trust in the UK to introduce disposable sterile headscarves for staff to use in our Operating Theatres thanks to former Royal Derby Hospital Medical Student, Farah Roslan.
Farah, now a F2 Doctor, said, 'I am so happy my vision has become a reality and that these headscarves are now available for all of the staff.'
When at the Royal Derby Hospital, Farah was mentored by Miss Tierney, Colorectal Surgeon, who originally introduced her to surgery. Farah said, 'Miss Tierney has allowed me to pursue my dreams. She is an inspiration to female leaders in healthcare, especially theatres. She has inspired me a significant amount.'"
Ms Roslan drew inspiration from her birth country of Malaysia, as she looked for ideas before eventually creating a design and testing fabrics.
"I'm really happy and looking forward to seeing if we can endorse this nationally," Roslan said.
Ms Roslan's mentor, consultant surgeon Gill Tierney, has said that the trust was the first to introduce the pioneering headscarves in the UK. She said:
"We know it's a quiet, silent, issue around theatres around the country and I don't think it has been formally addressed. It hasn't cost much and hopefully the effect will be enormous."
The University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Trust have announced that the headscarves have been available since early December, and it is now hoped that the items can be introduced nationwide, however, NHS England said it would be the decision of individual trusts.