Appearance Matters

Walk into any hospital and you will notice that everyone is wearing a uniform of some sort. Sometimes the uniform indicates the job of that person or location of work within that medical facility. The bottom line is that the uniform is there to let the public know that you, as a medical worker belong in that environment. The uniform supports public confidence and perhaps just as important, puts the health worker "in the health frame of mind."

A uniform policy also addresses health worker safety. Long nails, while appropriate outside of the medical environment, are known to be a health hazard to both the health worker and patient. Hoop ear rings, bracelets and necklaces can be grabbed by a disoriented patient and cause injury to the health worker. In one of my first jobs I wore a Medic Alert necklace. A patient reached up, grabbed that necklace and began twisting it around my neck. It took some doing to get the patient to release me from their grip.

Since the medical environment has dress and behavior policies, so does the School of Health & Patient Simulation. We do this to help our students prepare for medical work. To get into the habit of looking and feeling like a health worker. As an example, when a student enters SIMS Medical Center, the Virtual Teaching Hospital @ STCC, proper uniforms must be worn. The same is true for all on campus and off campus clinical experiences.

Take a look at your program handbook so you know the uniform policy. Becoming a health work is more than just academic....it is also about getting into the right frame of mind.