why do doctors wear lab coats?

[django7]

why do doctors wear lab coats? the scientist working in a laboratory wears a white coat. what is the significance of it on a doctor?

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[Siggy]

http://bit.ly/1aM0DR9

 

[Stellar Clouds]

Keeps all the nasty stuff off of your nice clothes underneath.

 

[joeDO2]

Keeps all the nasty stuff off of your nice clothes underneath.

debatable effectiveness

 

[link2swim06]

To store stuff in. Mine has at least 4 big pockets.

 

[prometheus09]

why do doctors wear lab coats? the scientist working in a laboratory wears a white coat. what is the significance of it on a doctor?

to spread germs and disease.

job security.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I wear mine because then I'm designated as the doctor, not the nurse. You would be suprised how much crap I get as a woman from staff and patients when I don't wear one. Plus it carries all my drug books, my scissors, walmart drug list, pens, wipes, etc.

 

[redpanda]

I wear mine because then I'm designated as the doctor, not the nurse. You would be suprised how much crap I get as a woman from staff and patients when I don't wear one. Plus it carries all my drug books, my scissors, walmart drug list, pens, wipes, etc.

THIS so much. I cannot adequately describe to you the flash of annoyance I had this week when I walked into a patient's room without my coat on, who I had previously introduced myself to and done an extensive H+P on with the intern, to hear him tell his wife "oh, let me get off the phone. The nurse is here!" Intellectually, I know there is nothing wrong with being a nurse and I have lots of respect for their work, but I hate the assumption that I'm a nurse because I'm young and female when I'm clearly doing work that is rather different from what our nurses are doing.

 

[Siggy]

when I'm clearly doing work that is rather different from what our nurses are doing.

From the patient's limited perspective you aren't. You ask a bunch of questions (over half of which is the same that the nurse asks), you listen with your stethoscope, and then as a student, tell the patient that you'll let the resident/attending know.

Now all of us on the inside know that there's a huge difference. The patient isn't, however, on the inside and their view is very limited.

 

[joeDO2]

I wear mine because then I'm designated as the doctor, not the nurse.

ehhh i don't know about this one anymore. i've seen nurse managers wearing white coats, dietitians wearing them, even clinical engineering at a few places. and its obviously standard for NPs/PAs and pharmacists as well.

 

[wahaha]

I work in the lab and we don't get real lab coats. It is kind of weird that everyone but those who actually work in the lab wear lab coats. We look like blueberry oompa loompas.

 

[Bacchus]

From the patient's limited perspective you aren't. You ask a bunch of questions (over half of which is the same that the nurse asks), you listen with your stethoscope, and then as a student, tell the patient that you'll let the resident/attending know.

Now all of us on the inside know that there's a huge difference. The patient isn't, however, on the inside and their view is very limited.

Agreed. And, a third year shouldn't feel so entitled. Annoyed? Yes. But this whole diatribe comes off as entitled.

 

[cabinbuilder]

ehhh i don't know about this one anymore. i've seen nurse managers wearing white coats, dietitians wearing them, even clinical engineering at a few places. and its obviously standard for NPs/PAs and pharmacists as well.

Maybe in larger areas - I don't work in those places. I'm in back woods areas with the working poor. I get a lot of **** thrown at me when I don't wear the coat because they don't believe I'm the doc otherwise. I'm in an outpatient setting or small rural hospitals that don't have dieticians, pharmacists, NP's, PA's, etc.

 

[colbgw02]

'Cause it's friggin' cold in the hospital.

 

[jerseytrash]

Maybe in larger areas - I don't work in those places. I'm in back woods areas with the working poor. I get a lot of **** thrown at me when I don't wear the coat because they don't believe I'm the doc otherwise. I'm in an outpatient setting or small rural hospitals that don't have dieticians, pharmacists, NP's, PA's, etc.

In a lot of big cities the NPs, PAs, and pharmacists do wear white coats. To some degree the idea of a white coat representing physicians is an antiquated one.

Why do I wear it usually? So I have pockets to carry things as an intern. Most of the medicine attendings don't wear them and a lot of my senior residents have given them up altogether.

 

[alpinism]

Its a status symbol, pure and simple.

(and also a fomite for spreading infections)

 

[mimelim]

'Cause it's friggin' cold in the hospital.

This is pretty much my reason.

 

[organdonor]

Historically I believe it was the same reason butchers wore white: you can bleach the blood out.

Now it is more to designate a clinician and for me personally, well I need the pockets.