What does style of a medical uniform mean to a patient? When it comes to physical care and treatment, it may seem like a trivial consideration, but in fact impressions are very important in gaining trust and confidence. There is also a greater diversity of styles available for medical professionals, meaning that you can bring out the personality behind the profession, bolstering the sense of human interaction when it comes to consultation and treatment.
Is Style Important in a Medical Uniform?
When assessing a patient, a medical professional may well note if they look dishevelled, or well-groomed. This is because a person’s appearance can offer clues to their overall physical and psychological condition.
What happens if we turn this on its head and think of how a patient might assess a doctor or nurse based on their appearance?
A big part of the patient-professional relationship pivots on trust, and the patient’s experience is very much based on how they perceive this relationship, regardless of how well their actual treatment proceeds.
So, what influence can the style of a medical uniform have on a patient’s perception?
The Clothing Reflects the Age
Time was when medical uniforms were, well, uniform. They were traditional, formal and, in some cases, verging on the ridiculous.
Nurses were subjected to a variety of peculiar hats, which seemed to take their cue from the age of Florence Nightingale and had not evolved since then.
For doctors, it was white coats and, for surgery, uniform scrubs in a very limited colour palette.
Traditional medical garments were about formality and authority, and a sense of timelessness in performing professional duties and offering caring services.
But the whole way in which we interface with, and relate to, services has changed. Patients are more empowered, more inquisitive, and more involved. Treatment involves far more dialogue and consultation evokes a clear two-way communication between professional and patient.
Contemporary medical uniforms reflect this change. They are smart and stylish, without being remote. They allow for an expression of individual character within the context of a professional appearance.
The Modern Age of Medical Uniforms
“Whether it’s based on a classic style, or it’s more innovative in its cut, the modern medical uniform is designed to be both functional and appealing – to both the professional wearer and the patient,” states Joanne Hunt of Pastelli UK.
For medical experts and medical support staff, having unique, bespoke clothing highlights their professional capabilities while allowing their individuality to come through when dealing with patients. It humanises them but retains a strong sense of duty and responsibility.
“How medical staff look is a vital part of how people experience the services they provide,” Joanne observes, “and just as patients deserve the very best treatment, so the professionals providing it should have the very best in stylish, functional medical uniforms.”