What to Wear in the Emergency Deparence for Physican's Attire and Appearance in the ED

Kim, Sung Taek; Kim, Mi Ran; Kim, Woo Jeong; Lee, Seung Chul; Suh, Gil Jun; Shin, Sang Do; Choi, Seong Wook

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.