As we know, the medical industry is quite vast and caters to all kinds of healthcare needs for the mind and body. It is the men and women in the embroidered lab coats they we trust most of all when we are under the weather. But have we ever thought about the purpose of the lab coats. Why would healthcare professionals want to wear embroidered lab coats? To answer this simple question we need to break down the reason of being of lab coats into two basic aspects: the function and the fashion. Here are the reasons why both of these aspects of lab coats is important in the medical industry.
Function
Functionality of the embroidered lab coats refers to the how the embroidered lab coat is essential to the healthcare industry and its' professionals. How the embroidered lab coat assist the medical professional in doing their job is another aspect of the functionality of this garment. Here are some features of the functionality of embroidered lab coats:
Recognizable
Embroidered lab coats that have your name, facility moniker or logo embroidered on them immediately distinguishes your lab coat from the rest. The customization with embroidery on the lab coats personalizes them and marking it as your personal property that is easily identifiable by everyone. Even in instances where your lab coat gets lost or damaged, the simple customization easily identifies the lab coat as your property allowing you to recover or replace it.
Authority
Another reason embroidered lab coats are very functional and important in the medical industry is due to the authority they represent. Whether it's the pharmacy, mental health department, lab or the general ward, we know that the person with the lab coat is the authority figure that has the important information regarding our ailments that we need. Within the healthcare facility embroidered lab coats set the pharmacists, doctors and specialists apart from the staff of the housekeeping department as a well as the nurses and interns.
Bond Formation
Wearing embroidered lab coats represents affiliation to a particular healthcare facility, department, designation or team. This simple customization on official work attire creates a bond of solitude and loyalty with the rest of the employees. You and your co-workers get bound to each other through job experiences, medical losses and victories, all of which you share because of your uniform, the embroidered lab coat.
Pockets
The functionality of embroidered lab coats goes beyond emotions and into practicality due to its pockets. Embroidered lab coats can have up to 3 deep pockets on the front that allows you to store your essential medical instruments while you're on the go.
Safety
The most important function on the embroidered lab coat is to keep you safe from chemicals, germs, and other contaminants that might exist in healthcare facilities that are teaming with contaminants. The barrier created by the lab coats acts as the first shield against the spilling of harmful chemicals and bodily fluids. Since lab coats are made of polyester and cotton blend, they decelerate bacterial growth and safeguards the skin from direct contact.
Fashion
Because medical professionals as students spend so many years sacrificing their health, and social engagements for the sake of studying medicine, the manufacturers of lab coats make sure that healthcare professionals look good at work while still being functional. However, in order to look stylish and attractive it is important for healthcare workers to select their embroidered lab coats according to their body types. Therefore some characteristics to keep in mind while shopping for your lab coats are:
Well-Fitted
In any medical facility, your embroidered lab coat is the first thing that gets noticed by staff and patients alike. Therefore, it is of great importance that your lab coat should fit well on your body. It should not be so loose and baggy that the shoulders sag down and nor should your lab coat be so tight that it limits your movement. The perfect size for your lab coat should allow free movement and easy, hassle free wear to keep you safe, comfortable and productive.
Length
The length of your embroidered lab coats usually depends on the department of the medical facility you belong to. For example pharmacists might wear shorter lab coats compared to doctors and surgeons. But if your facility opts to have all its employees wear the same length lab coats then you just need to make sure that its' length is according to your height. Ideally the length of the full size lab coat should end somewhere between the top of your knee to the bottom of your knee. If your lab coat is longer then it could get in your way while you deal with patients, whereas, if it's too short then you could be dealing with restrictive movement. Either way would hinder your productivity. Therefore, it is important to make sure that along with the fitting, the length of your lab coat should also be work friendly.
Sleeves
Usually the selection of sleeves in our medical scrubs is entirely our choice. However, in embroidered lab coats personal preference becomes secondary based on your work environment. Whether you prefer loose, sleeves, tight sleeves, half sleeves or three quarter sleeves; when it comes to the professional medical environment you have to wear the sleeves that keep you comfortable, safe and protected during working hours.
Fastening
When thinking about embroidered lab coat safety, the first thing to consider is your ability to fasten the lab coat. This means that you need to be able to close up your lab coat fast and easily. Your lab coat should also not be so tight that taking it if would cause a struggle. The fitting and fastening of the lab coat should be comfortable and easy enough for you to be able to quickly remove it in case of an emergency or spillage.
Styling Lab Coats
Whether you are dressing for a party or work, in order to look good some effort is required. Likewise, just because you have to wear a lab coat does not mean any kind of attire is acceptable. There are a few rules that just make dressing with a lab coat easier and affordable.
1.Simple Shirt
We understand that everyone aims to look good for work and some people enjoy indulging in an expensive wardrobe selection. After all, if you have it why not spend it? But unless you want to constantly spend money on replacing expensive shirts or desire an expensive laundry bill, it's probably a good decision to leave the pricey garments at home. In the healthcare industry, because staining and spillage of chemicals and bodily fluids is common, despite wearing embroidered lab coats it is better to select a more modest and affordable alternative underneath. This will definitely help you in saving some money and your wallet will thank you for it.
2.Modest Neckline
Though medical professionals wear lab coats that are designed to cover all of their upper body, yet it is important to make sure that the area around the neck which is exposed is safe from any danger. This can be done by wearing either round or V-neck medical scrubs under your lab coat or wearing a round neck under-scrub to cover the exposed skin. By wearing a modest neckline not only will you be better protected in an event of sudden accident, but modest neckline will also greatly diminish the chances of accidental skin exposure whenever you bend down at work.
3.Sensible Accessories and Jewelry
When working in healthcare facilities it is important to understand the importance of wearing proper accessories and even though you probably won't wear any expensive jewelry at work it would be a good idea to leave those dangly, and hanging jewelry at home as well so they can be safe from snagging on something. If you do decide to accessorize then jewelry that's more fitted with small earrings is better than long ones. A wrist watch is also a nice and simple way of sprucing up your look under the lab coat.
Conclusion
Regardless of the fashion choices you make always remember that safety comes first and your embroidered lab coat is part of your daily ensemble. The better it fits, the better you will feel in it and the more motivated you might be to help patients.