4 Reasons Doctors Must Always Be In Uniform When In Hospital
Have you wondered why the doctors or nurses of a hospital wear uniforms? Of course, you know it’s for visual identity. However, doctors’ and nurses’ uniforms are more than a piece of an identity.
Anyone working in a health establishment should wear a particular uniform. As this article will show, there is more to the piece of cloth than meets the eye.
Over half of 4,062 patients surveyed in a research said they care about what medical doctors and nurses wear. But why?
Here are the 4 reasons hospitals have a healthcare uniform program for their doctors and nurses:
1. Protection
Doctors and nurses move from one patient to another, from the wards to the laboratories, back to the wards and sometimes even to the consultation room. These movements can enhance the spread of viruses and germs. Uniforms, usually made from fabrics with antibacterial properties, can limit the spread of these germs and viruses.
An ideal doctor’s or nurse’s uniform is made of thick fabrics designed to form a barrier between the medical practitioner’s body and liquids that may splash onto it. Hence, it simultaneously protects the practitioner and the patient.
2. Distinguishing
You already know this, but it’s worth mentioning for emphasis. Without health facilities having a healthcare uniform program, how would you know who a doctor or nurse is in the hospital? In big hospitals, doctors of different departments, specialties and professions are distinguished by their varying uniforms. This makes it easy for the patients to spot which doctor they need to see.
You want to be able to tell who a surgeon, gynecologist, or pediatrician is by just observing the uniforms. Without uniforms, even a receptionist can be mistaken for a doctor.
3. Boosts Confidence
Public trust and confidence in medical doctors and nurses is enhanced when they wear a recognizable uniform. How can you tell in a hospital if someone claiming to be a nurse is actually a non-employee who has sneaked in to carry out mischief? It happens. Uniforms help lock fake doctors out.
You can then be confident that whoever is handling you is a real doctor or nurse if they are in relevant uniform. Anyone not wearing a uniform has to be questioned.
4. Ease of Work
Doctors and nurses usually walk around with pens, notebooks, thermometers, gloves, syringes and other care materials as they monitor patients all day, from ward to ward. The uniforms are designed to help medical practitioners move and operate easily in the hospitals and laboratories with these items.
An ideal doctor’s uniform should be elastic and moisture-wicking. It is also usually lightweight and made of breathable materials such as cotton or polyester blends for comfort while making rounds during long shifts.
Conclusion
Whether a big or small hospital, a healthcare uniform program must be in place because the patients always expect the staff to be in their respective scrubs. Fortunately, medical uniforms are relatively cheaper and last longer. Unlike ordinary clothes, the uniforms for nurses and doctors are made from fabrics designed to endure the sterilization and disinfection used on them for protection.
It’s crucial to engage the right uniforms supplier or provider if you need uniforms for nurses or doctors.