Thursday, June 30, 2005

White Coat ?

Sometime ago in April this year, our new DG reminded all the doctors to wear our white coat when we are working in the hospital. And my Head of Department remind us as well during our monthly departmental meeting to wear our white coat whenever we see patients outside OT.

Aiyks... The last time I wear my clinical white coat was during my housemanship time, during my medical postings, that was way back in 1998 already... Nowadays, most doctors in hospital don't wear white coat, unless seeing patients in clinic.. It's damn hot wearing this white coat in the ward while during ward rounds or clerking new cases or seeing patients..

Those who always wear white coat in the hospital are mostly medical students or pharmacist or the physiotherapist or occupational therapist. Well, I also wear my white coat ALL the time previously when I was in the hospital during my medical student time.. So hot, really no joke !! Most of the time, when wearing this white coat in the ward, I will start sweating (made me looks like thyrotoxicosis patients with heat intolerance... having excessive & profuse sweating...) (Well, there's no air cond in the ward, only few pathetic fans ...)

Wearing white coat is really not practical, with many reasons behind it.. Not only it's hot(furthermore, our climate is so hot and humid).. & inconvenient, it's also very dirty as well.. It's proven already white coat is a source of hospital acquired bacterial infection. Adding the risk to the patients as well as ourselves & our beloved family members..

Imagine carrying all these dirty bugs back home !! Some more, who will actually wash their white coats daily? I don't think many will wash it weekly as well.. Some might only wash it once in few months!! So u can imagine how "dirty" is that white coat :P

I still prefer wearing the ICU blue shirt when working inside ICU or doing rounds outside.. As we are dealing with critically ill patients & doing lotsa invasive procedures as well, there's very high chance that our attires will be contaminated with sputum, tracheal aspirate, blood, vomitus, body secretions etc etc.. In fact, we need to wash our hands every time we move from one bed to another.. (handwashing is very important to prevent transmission of germs).. So, is it justifiable to wear white coat inside ICU?

My fellow colleague, LT has posted on this White Coat issue in his blog..

Normally, I just keep my white coat inside my car..(I think there's dog fur on my white coat as well, since my kai mui's doggy walked on it previously...). I only wear my white coat when "necessary", or "once in a blue moon"... My stethoscope is the "emblem" of my medical profession already, together with my name tag & card.. No need white coat lah...

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Burn it

shookmeallnightlong said...

white coat chun what? if got chun doc wear white coat even better.

and if its so bloody hot under the white coat then you guys wear shorts and thin tshirts underneath lah! Nobody ever say anything about what you wear underneath right? :P

Anonymous said...

I would have expect that nowadays most area have air con. now

ac said...

i have my white lab coat still! yay!

used it during chem and physics lab during pre U...so fun

now can probably use for play acting...and more *wink*

cooknengr said...

What up Doc, , looks good but not practical,the policy makers's mental stage is...what is the word, let put it this waym they like tacky stuff. In a few years you'll be your own boss..

Babe_KL said...

show us pics of u with and without then we vote :p

Chen said...

John
cannot burn lah.. got sentimental value one, hahahha...

shook,
no lah.. what u wear beneath the white coat counts as well.. people will comment on that as well :P

hawks,
air cond ah? only in first class ward & ICU/CCU/CICU etc & inside operating theatre lah.. 2nd class & third class no air cond lah..

evol,
first time wear, of course feel nice lah.. cos bergaya mah.. that's how I feel when I wear it the first time, now ah.. Thank u... I don't want to wear already :D
If ask u to wear everyday, I also think u will think twice already lah.. So hot...

ac
play acting pulak.. acting apa woh???
kekkee....

Cooknengr
Yeah.. Most of the times, those adm peoples with the tag Dr in front of their name are those sitting in the office, and lost touch with clinical works ... Do they really know what is happening in the wad or hospital?

BabeKL,
no need to vote lah... kekek...
I hardly wear my white coat now..
unless "no choice" or "terpaksa"... :P

Chen said...

Gasman,
wow... then I want to have a look how stylish is your white coat.. Might be I should made one like yours as well :D kekeke.. the current white coat I have is the one made 10 years ago already lah.. during my medical student day :P

Anonymous said...

then dye the coat diff colour.

rainbow colour

Chen said...

John,
then, it's not white coat already lah.. it's rainbow coat instead, hahaha...

Anonymous said...

Nvm, creative ma.

Tell ppl you're happy Dr

Like Patch Adams lor

Chen said...

John,
Wearin the rainbow coloured coat will made the person who wear it looks like having psychiatric problem with manic bipolar disorder leh.. :D

Anonymous said...

Then everyone wear the same coat.

New design, autumm/winter 2005 collection

Chen said...

gasman,
wah.. fire proof & static proof white coat ah? :O

hahha, reading your scooter riding experience with the unbuttoned white coat on reminds me of something, I did that before as well :P I ride motorbike during my uni days previously, in the early morning summore... Will blog on that later on, hahaha....

Anonymous said...

Im with you, i think wearing white coat suX. maybe in the lab dispensing all the preparations is understanble. But seeing patients, meidal review, running shop . and have to wear lap coat is yAk. so not fun! =)

Chen said...

cynthia,
yeah... I agree with u..

Anonymous said...

Chen
ha ha i wear white coat cos it can carry many things for me like pens, swabs, plasters,notes,oh! ANYTHING that can carry.Andit can make male patients not to see my structure.he he .

Anonymous said...

Wasup doc ?
Anyway that is a sign of professional deterioration. Patients also don't know who is the doc and who is someone else and who is a bogus personnel. But worst of all is when docs could not be bothered with the professional looks and sometimes I wish they take up another profession instead like the MAS air stewardess uniform. Come on lah. You are a doc. Wear like a doc lah. Coat whether white, black or grey is better than no coat. Sometimes you look so dignified. Got cologne or perfume somemore. But the poor sick patient puke all over when you palpate the abdomen. Then the whole day becomes like a disaster to you. Right, doctor ?