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Hi all,
I've been thinking about this for a while but haven't progressed with it.
I just wanted to get an indication of what people wear in their practice. I'm generally against uniforms but I am starting to think they may be a good idea.
Polo shirts? Tunics? White clinic coats? . I guess a balance between being professional and keeping your clothes protected.
Obviously it depends on what you see the patient for.
It would be good to get an indication of what people do. I have shied away from using plastic gowns for routine work but it would have to cleaner and more hygienic than not doing this?
Hi Podtiger
I wear a white clinic coat when treating a patient. I think we should look professional and clinical at all times since we have worked so hard to be taken seriously as a medically trained expert in what we do! I also wear a plastic apron when treating to keep the gunk off my spotless whites!
I wonder why you are "generally against uniforms"?
For what its worth, I think its important to have separate work and home clothes. For clinics I wear a tunic and a pair of blue trousers.
I'm easily recognised as being a healthcare professional, so I believe patients are reassured by it.
Also, the laundry for clinics is kept separate from household laundry and is washed seperately.
I wear under Armour soccer pants and Under Armour polos with my Logo and my name on them. They have replaced scrubs!
Working in a Physiotherapy clinic doing a mix of Biomechanics and Diabetes wound management the suits and ties were ditched a long time ago. Plus I don't have to think what to wear each day, and it's a write off!
__________________
Graham Curryer
None of us know what we are doing, but some of us know more about what we are not doing than others!::
Because I now deal with mostly Paeds I don't wear a uniform of any kind. Many of the kids I see have serious systemic illness and have had far more unpleasantness done to them by medics than a child should ever have to. White coats, uniforms, medical paraphinalia etc I keep to the minimum possible because it terrifies them! Smart casual clothes, inflated gloves made into balloon animals and a few magic tricks make establishing a rapport with, and assessing, a nervous child much easier.
"The story so far: As usual, Ginger and I are engaged on our quest to find out what the hell is going on and save humanity from my nemesis, some bastard who is presumably responsible."
I too have hatred for uniforms. You would never catch me in a tunic. No offense to those that do (as i'm sure many do). I believe it makes us look like a 'therapist' or 'nurse' and whilst these may be respectable professions in themselves, i prefer to stick to the shirt and trousers (no tie, rolled above elbows as per the NHS way). I work in Pod Surg so tunic not appropriate anyway, however when in general podiatric practice i still stick to the shirt and trousers (maybe a small white coat over the top?)
I always used to find my old trust amusing. I would forever be quizzed over my lack of wearing a tunic in clinic as per the supposed unwritten protocol. However the other clinicians only used to become annoyed when i entered the room and the patient thought i was in charge. Tells you something about patient perception and respect. Tunics are a no no in my eyes!
THE DAY I SEE A CONSULTANT DOING A WARD ROUND WEARING A TUNIC MIGHT BE THE DAY I RECONSIDER (i think im safe)
Thanks for the feedback guys. It's actually as I suspected. That is everyone wears different gear. There is no uniformity with uniforms. I might stick with the shirt and trousers for the time being but will consider the polo shirt as well.
All,
I agree with Charlie,
I think it's important to promote a professional image by wearing a uniform - and also a name badge so everyone knows who you are !
I wear tunic tops in white and black/navy cotton trousers. For minor surgery I have scrubs and clogs.
I also have separate wash loads for work-wear and never travel home in uniform.
I can see no reason why you guys can't wear scrubs? They are comfy, allow freedom of movement, are easily laundered and come in a variety of colours.
Polo shirt and "clinic trousers". Plaster of Paris and cashmere suits don't mix. I am in charge, the patients know that, I'm also confident in my own abilities and as such I don't feel the need for a suit to pretend that I'm something that I'm not.
__________________ Science is the antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition
Adds to the theatre I guess (which is important in IPP) but is this overkill for nail surgery?
Serious question. Because it strikes me that if we are applying Phenol, which if it is capable of ablating nail bed must be MORE than equal to the task of obliterating any staph which may have inadvertantly ended up in the wound, that all the sterile field gear we use for NS is a bit moot.
And its not exactly a clean wound if there is an infected OC to start with!
I know people who operate at both extremes, from full on sterile gowns, masks, hats etc, to those who do it in their normal clinic gear with non sterile gloves.
What does everybody else do for NS? Personnally I scrub up, use sterile gloves and an apron, but that's all.
Regards
Robert
(as a BTB, I have had NS twice. The first in the theatre at UNI, scrubs, sterile and all that jazz, the second in a lunch break with non sterile gloves on a plastic chair with my foot on a rolled up coat on another plastic chair. Guess which one regrew?)
"The story so far: As usual, Ginger and I are engaged on our quest to find out what the hell is going on and save humanity from my nemesis, some bastard who is presumably responsible."
it strikes me that if we are applying Phenol, which if it is capable of ablating nail bed must be MORE than equal to the task of obliterating any staph which may have inadvertantly ended up in the wound, that all the sterile field gear we use for NS is a bit moot....And its not exactly a clean wound if there is an infected OC to start with!
True. One of my clinical supervisors stated "you could perform NS with phenol in a barn and you still wouldn`t induce an infection".
Personally, still wearing my pink Breakthrough scrubs (my usual `uniform`) I put on an apron, goggles and scrub up before donning sterile gloves.
Cheers,
Bel
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Winchester Podiatry (UK)
Last edited by blinda : 26th February 2010 at 06:48 AM.
Reason: shpelling
I understood polo shirts were not acceptable as they could not pyhsically cope with the temperature of the "hottest wash" which is required by infection cotrol.
I put on an apron, goggles and scrub up before donning sterile gloves.
Goggles is wise!
I had a nasty experience watching somebody else do NS wherin the phenol "squirted" at my face. Missed my right eye by easily half a cm and I had a pattern of weals picked out in red on my face for quite a few days.
Regardless of keeping the top half clean, I defiantly needed new trousers! Quite a scary near miss.
"The story so far: As usual, Ginger and I are engaged on our quest to find out what the hell is going on and save humanity from my nemesis, some bastard who is presumably responsible."
I have to agree with Robert and George, we also wear trousers and shirts and seem to get far more respect from patients.
Sam
Ah. Funny how those who reject uniform on the grounds do so on the grounds that not wearing it gets them more "respect" from patients....
Personally, I find providing a good standard of communication and treatment gets me all the respect I deserve/want.
There is no "tongue in cheek" smiley...pity.
I understood polo shirts were not acceptable as they could not pyhsically cope with the temperature of the "hottest wash" which is required by infection cotrol.
Have a look at the labels on tunics: most of them state a 60 degree wash. Tunics or polo shirts (worn on admin days just in case I'm asked to go cover a clinic) all get chucked in at a 95 wash and I just accept they'll shrink over time.
Agree with the posters that would never consider a uniform. I dont need to look like a therapist of any sort! !! My qualification clearly ststes that my training is in podiatric medicine not some curious obscure therapy, or nursing qulification, not that i have anything against nursing as my mum was a nurse most of her working life.
I consider myself a lower limb and foot specialist and will dress accordingly, it may be a shirt and tie or just a pollo shirt. Very good point about the consultant or even house officers in NHS establishments. When they start wearing tunics then i may reconsider, though not that relevent to me as a private practitioner !
I have had first hand experience of NHS Podiatry tunics and I have to admit they look archaic and don't have a hint of professionalism. Their only positive feature is that they identify the podiatrist as a staff member.
It is now 2010 but you get the feeling it is 1985 in some parts. A bit too communist for my liking. Just the appearance of the uniform not the podiatrist. I think they need to be improved.
Uniforms are obviously a side issue but it is probably a starting point for how a profession is viewed and how a therapist feels about themselves.
In the Southern hemisphere podiatrists wear professional clothes befitting of their standing. Their is very little uniform as such but 90% of colleagues make a real effort. They look on a par with GP's, consultants and executive staff.
Hi
As someone who does mainly dom work, I do wear a uniform as it often reassures the patient before they open the door if you tell them to expect a lady in a white dress.They are usually a vulnerable elderly bunch and it also gives the impression that you are there to do a job, not a social visit which can make getting away much easier at the end.
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Hi
As someone who does mainly dom work, I do wear a uniform as it often reassures the patient before they open the door if you tell them to expect a lady in a white dress.They are usually a vulnerable elderly bunch and it also gives the impression that you are there to do a job, not a social visit which can make getting away much easier at the end.
Dress??? I take it the peri-anal squames debate hasnt hit you then??? :)
One always ready to change mid clinic if the need arises changed at the end of the day in any case.
Comfortable for me, professional for patient expectations.
BUT
I agree with Rob and the kids thing. ( How do you tie up the glove after you blow it up ?? Dammed if i can without strangling my fingers till they are blue!! )
The same applies to special needs patients and I have been known to don joggers trainers and a polo shirt to address particular nervous patient needs.
Sometime it works sometimes not but I try everything to make every patient comfortable, stress free and happy.
"Political Correctness" is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end
The same applies to special needs patients and I have been known to don joggers trainers and a polo shirt to address particular nervous patient needs.
Sometime it works sometimes not but I try everything to make every patient comfortable, stress free and happy.
Agreed. I have worn `civvies` (scrub trousers and t-shirt) when attending to nervous pts in a residential home for young adults with aspergers and autism. Many had a fear of white coats.
I wear the department uniform of white tunic and dark trousers, plus apron and as much PPE as I can get away with! Scrubs are fine if you're clinic based, but I wouldn't want to be seen dead in them when I'm out visiting.
When I worked at Boots, we had lovely white and blue pinstripe tunic and trousers in 100% cotton which could be boil washed but were a b****r to iron. We all looked like Andy Pandy....
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