I can see how some styles or colors of lab coats could project an unprofessional appearance but what looks most unprofessional is not wearing a lab coat at all.

I say this because many institutions, mine included, are still struggling to get lab personnel to wear protective clothing. 

 

Many of our health care institutions have relaxed the rules around uniforms for health professionals, much in response to complaints from many of the younger workers that they didn’t like the drab old styles.  It looks a little funny (funky?) at first but you get used to it after a short while.  Apparently the workers really like it, especially the ones who were given input into the choices available. 

 

If we have to think outside the box to get people to wear then maybe we need to be open to bending the fashion rules a bit so long as the integrity of the protective gear itself is not compromised. We also need to appreciate that the more input we give our personnel around the selection of PPE, the more likely we are to get their buy-in.

 

W.