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Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2005;16(2): 254-265. |
What to Wear in the Emergency Deparence for Physican's Attire and Appearance in the ED |
Sung Taek Kim, Mi Ran Kim, Woo Jeong Kim, Seung Chul Lee, Gil Jun Suh, Sang Do Shin, Seong Wook Choi |
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea. suhgil@snu.ac.kr 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Pochon CHA University College of Medicine, Korea. |
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ABSTRACT |
PURPOSE: This study was done to evaluate patients' and physicians' attitude toward emergency physician's professional appearance in the ED.
METHODS: By way of a survey, the patients and guardians of 87 patients presenting to the Emergency Department of Seoul National University Hospital (patients' group) were shown 6 photographs of physician's dress style and asked questions related to their preference for each physician's dress style. The same questions were also given to 52 medical personnel (medical group: physicians, nurses, and paramedics of the emergency department).
RESULTS: There was no preference for formal suit or casual suit without white laboratory coat in either group.
Fifty-eight (73.4%) of the patients' group preferred a formal suit with white coat whereas 22(44.0%) of the medical group preferred a formal suit with white coat (p=0.008). As to surgical scrubs with or without a white coat, there was a preference in both group. However, the medical group liked 'scrubs+white coat' more than the patients' group (p=0.003).
Of 12 other items, 4 items (dyed hair, no tie, a Tshirt, and sports shoes) were preferred and 7 items (longhair/ponytail (man), mustache/beard, blue jeans, sportswear, mini-skirt, earrings (man) and bracelets) were not preferred by the either group. However, there is a disconcordance about slippers/sandals between the patients' group and the medical group (27.8% vs 56.8% preferred them; p=0.003).
CONCLUSION: Patients and their guardians preferred emergency department doctors to be dressed in formal dress with a white coat, but also accepted surgical scrubs whereas medical personnel preferred scrub with white coat. |
Key words:
Attitude, Clothing |
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