Appropriate attire for EM rotation

[wsingh]

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Ok y'all I am about to start my EM rotation and was wondering if the attire should remain the same as IM rotation i.e., a tie, slacks, shirt and dress shoes. Considering that I probably will get dirty somewhere along the line, what would you guys recommend. Dockers, shirt + tie and Birkenstocks ??
Personally I'd want to just wear scrubs but I guess KMC (Kern Medical Center) wants the students to look "professional".

Suggestions??

W. 😕

 

[DrQuinn]

if "they" want their students to look professional, sounds like you have to wear a shirt/tie or the female equivalent.

During the day shift, I'll occasionally wear a shirt and tie with my labcoat, much to the chagrin of my colleagues. I feel it looks much better than scrubs and a lab coat. Night shifts or evening shifts I won't do it though.

Q, DO

 

[Sessamoid]

Yuck. I haven't worn a tie since... well, I can't remember the last time I wore a tie.

 

[jpgreer13]

If you ask me, "professional" attire in the Emergency Department IS scrubs.

No ties for me. Maybe on off-service rotations. And only a couple.

 

[roja]

Depends on the place. Some ED's require 'professional' gear. Our ED is flexible. scrubs are fine (no open toe shoes.. OSHA and ewwww). I personally hate scrubs and only wear them when my regular clothes are dirty or I am to hung over, I mean tired to get up early enough to get dressed.

 

[Apollyon]

We just got a dress code (the division of EM is ALL OVER IT, even though the department of surgery hasn't rolled it out yet):

Scrubs - have to be same color upper and lower. If scrubs, all scrubs (ie, no khakis and scrub top). Good repair. T-shirt authorized (surprisingly, nothing was said about a pattern on the t-shirt). One piercing per ear only. No other piercings. Shoes in good repair, and clean (not dirty or blood-stained).

If you choose to not wear scrubs, shirt (pressed), tie, pants (pressed), shoes again as above. Women, no open-toe shoes (but that's JCAHO).

And, everyone is REQUIRED to wear the white coat at all times.

I put the long coat on for the first time ever 2 days ago, and I said, "I feel like a phlebotomist or an interpreter now" (since EVERY PERSON wears the long coat here).

For real. I've pointed out time and again that, if a guy isn't wearing scrubs, the official EM uniform is: t-shirt, scrub top, and khakis. Check it out.

 

[flighterdoc]

If you ask me, "professional" attire in the Emergency Department IS scrubs.

No ties for me. Maybe on off-service rotations. And only a couple.

No ties in the ED. Why give some altered SOB anything to grab you around the neck with?

Dockers and a golf shirt until you get dirty, then scrubs.

 

[joaquin13]

if "they" want their students to look professional, sounds like you have to wear a shirt/tie or the female equivalent.

During the day shift, I'll occasionally wear a shirt and tie with my labcoat, much to the chagrin of my colleagues. I feel it looks much better than scrubs and a lab coat. Night shifts or evening shifts I won't do it though.

Q, DO

Quinn-haven't you read the newest article? Supposedly physican's ties are huge reservoirs for bacteria! There was an article on it recently, and its posted all over the hospital where I'm working.

 

[DrQuinn]

Quinn-haven't you read the newest article? Supposedly physican's ties are huge reservoirs for bacteria! There was an article on it recently, and its posted all over the hospital where I'm working.

Nothing pathologic though. If you cultured me you'd find MRSA, VRE, syphilis, HSV, etc etc, so a tie is the least of my patients worry. 🙂

Q, DO

 

[EMDrMoe]

Quinn-haven't you read the newest article? Supposedly physican's ties are huge reservoirs for bacteria! There was an article on it recently, and its posted all over the hospital where I'm working.

So is your hospital going to change the dress code & give the guys a break? That'd be interesting....

 

[jpgreer13]

I am decidedly anti-tie, so that article was a profound source of joy for me.

The white coats here tend to disappear early in the shift. Folks walk around with a pen in the scrub pocket and the stethoscope coiled around the neck, and the white coat's usually on the back of a chair somewhere in the department if they need something out of it.