Where’s My Lab Coat?
Some may call me old school, but I wear a white lab coat at work...every day. I need pockets! As a physical therapist working in the acute care setting of a large (800-plus beds) teaching hospital, I am constantly moving from unit-to-unit, room-to-room, rarely staying in the rehab satellite gym on the orthopedic unit for a prolonged time frame.
I NEED my lab coat pockets to carry my "tools of the trade" to perform my job tasks; specifically my goniometer, tape measure, reflex hammer, bandage scissors, gait belt and lastly my beeper. For me, my white lab coat serves 2 main purposes: to carry my so-called job tools; secondly, and to me most importantly, the white lab coat adds professionalism to my appearance. I constantly hear fellow therapists in the acute care setting (my hospital and others around the nation) complain we "get no respect" from fellow members of the health care team. I will be the first to say that just wearing a white lab coat demands respect, but I strongly feel that this does give a professional visual image in the acute care setting.
This became very apparent to me while I was visiting my 72-year-old uncle who had just undergone a total knee arthroplasty at a local hospital. A "cute little thing" as he called her, entered his room while I was visiting him two days following his surgery. I recognized her as a PT solely by the gait belt around her waist. My uncle insisted I stay during his therapy session and I witnessed an appropriate and thorough treatment (THKA rehab in the acute care setting is my specialty practice) until the conclusion of the session.
My uncle asked if she remembered to "bring the measuring thing" (goniometer), stating she had forgotten it on all previous sessions. She patted the pockets of her scrubs & sadly informed him she had forgotten the device but would bring it tomorrow. After his discharge, my uncle informed me she "never did remember to bring her measuring thing" but he was very pleased with her care.
Likewise, he called me after his initial OPPT session at a private practice rehab clinic and told me his therapist was a "doctor of physical therapy" (as was his PT in the acute care hospital!). When I questioned him regarding what he liked most about his outpatient PT, he stated that he was "a doctor of therapy" and was "really smart." Both my uncle and his wife were very impressed that this therapist initially greeted them in the waiting room wearing a long white lab coat "just like my doctor" (which he wore only for the initial greeting & by their observation, did so for every new patient to his clinic-however, this made a lasting positive impression on my family members!). My uncle informed me that this PT used a "measuring thing that's called a gonio.. something") as soon as he arrived and frequently during each therapy session. By the way, his rehab was a complete success and he is doing extremely well following his TKA.
It is true that the acute care setting is vastly different from the outpatient setting but all therapists can project a professional image at all times wherever we work; if a white lab coat contributes to this image, let's wear it! Plus, we have pockets for all our "measuring things."