There may be a need to consider colour-coding of scrub suits (or "theatre clothing"). Operating theatre staff are supposedly not allowed to leave the OR suite in scrubs (and, of course, no-one is allowed to enter the suite without first changing into scrubs). However, other scrub-suit wearers (eg, A&E staff) are often to be seen roaming around the hospital (taking lunch in the canteen, and even outside the hospital, getting off the bus, crossing the road - I've seen it all with my own eyes). There is a danger that such a person could wander right into the OR without being challenged. Could there be a case, then, for OR staff proper and visitors to the OR suite to have a scrub suit of different colour to the others, so that interlopers may be readily identified and scrub discipline maintained?

Perhaps some of you manager-types could think about raising this issue?

What about the dress codes within the Biomed/EBME (…whatever) departments? It is normal practice (for some perverse reason, no doubt) for the head honcho to wear a tie. But “what about the workers”?

Should we be taking a lead from the young doctors I have seen? The young men wearing “scruff order” and the young ladies wearing what can be called, I suppose, “casual clothing” (you know they’re doctors by the stethoscope dangling from their necks, of course).

What do we like to wear these days, guys? I have seen techs wearing ties. I have seen techs wearing polo shirts with a nice logo or department name on the breast. Overalls, dust coats, white coats. I have seen T-shirts and jeans (…plus a mixture of all of the above and more). I haven't seen track-suits yet, though. There has been a lot of talk about “projecting a professional image”, so what about appearance? Does it matter at all these days? (…haircuts, beards?).

String vest and a thong always gets a good response.

I believe that Standards must be maintained, if you turn up on a Ward looking like a scruff, you,ll get treated like one !!

Presentation is an important part of professionalism. You have to look the part for people to take you seriously. I'm against uniforms - after all, you don't see doctors wearing them !

To be pleasant, efficient and tidy demonstrates your self-respect. The seasoned first-line tech or service engineer should aspire to be affable, competent, diligent, equable and tactful (look them up!). Such personal characteristics set us apart from the rabble, and (in my opinion at least) are far more important than academic qualifications (…got to keep on banging that drum!). All that should be a given, surely?

But what I was looking for in this topic was feedback about standards of dress. What is the norm these days? Personally, I favour the “designer polo shirt” approach. Practical, and smart enough for our line of work.

I am of the opinion that it should be 'smart casual', ie no jeans, trainers etc., although a uniform approach (shirt or equivalent with dept name and suitable strides) would be an ok approach. White coats (which I've seen in some places) are naff.

Personally, I do wear a tie (sadly, on the odd occasion that I forgot one I felt neckid).

Imagine you are a patient lying in bed not knowing wheat is going on a a bloke comes to fiddle with the equipment that is looking after you. I think that a clean tidy professional image would do a lot to reassure the patient. Shirt and tie if you want but not a logo emblazened t-shirt and ripped jeans. Many clothes can be smart if you try it is just a matter of confidence and attitude.
We have different uniforms for different technician groups who are patient based, our renal and ventillator technicians are in marroon.
Tough now there are so many slight variations on a uniform that I think visitors and patients need an identification chart. We have three shades of blue with three different coloured piping on them. I do not know what everyone does.
It is not the actual clothes that count but that way they are worn.
Robert

I think us military people have it quite easy on this problem. No need to worry which trousers to put on in the morning! Nothing beats the 'stand out factor' of smart military uniform in a mixed NHS/MOD hospital.

The problem I have with the polo shirt is we come under the "Facilities" banner.

The Estates guys already wear polo shirts.

Unless the Trust invests in a different colour polo shirt, the patient who sees, one moment, the guy departing the WC after unblocking the "Richard III's" is the same guy the next moment coming to work on his patient circuit, will not see a difference.

Only their perception as we know the roles are different, but does it fill them with confidence.

Not demeaning the sanitation engineer but it will be looked upon as the same role.