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Archive for March, 2007

The Advantages of Wearing a Lab Coat

Lab coats are used in many professions, such as industries, scientific research labs, chemical testing labs, hospitals, medical schools and even in school labs. The basic purpose for the use of a lab coat is protection against spillage and harm to the clothes and body. However, there are many other advantages of wearing a lab coat, such as:

  1. Barrier against infections - in medical research as well as hospitals doctors, nurses, lab technicians, etc face dangerous infectious diseases. The lab coats form a protective barrier between the germs from these diseases and the person and prevent its further spread.
  2. Contains the diseases from spreading to others - The lab coats work by medical personnel and others such professions are discarded by the end of the day and sterilized before being used again the next day. In this way, germs and infections stay contained. Had these not worn lab coats, they would have carried these germs outside the hospital (and other such places) on their clothes and passed on the germs to the population outside.
  3. Ensures sterile conditions - patients are often given to wear garments like lab coats before surgery, to prevent germs being carried inside the operation theatre. These garments would be completely sterile. It would not be possible to ensure that their clothes were germ free otherwise.
  4. Identification - the lab coats come in different colors and are used often as uniforms as well. White is reserved for medical profession, while green, blue and other colors form the dress code in different industry. Hence, besides protection it also provides a uniform dress code.
  5. Protection against spillage of corrosive substances - research as well as indusial work almost always involve experiments, which might result in spillage. Wearing a lab coat would protect the clothes and body from harm when any such possibly harmful substances spill over.

Origins of Lab Coats

Before one does any type of lab experiment, it is advise that one where a lab coat. It is a typical procedure and one that should not be forgotten. Ask anyone in elementary school and they will drone out the same rules pertaining to labs, “Eye goggles must be worn. Lab coats are to be on at all times. If anything is spilled, let the teacher know…” But one does not have to do a lab experiment to wear the universal lab coat. Go to a hospital or a dentist, and see dozens of doctors, orthodontists, and other medical professions wearing the typical, standardized white lab coat. However, others outside the medical and research facilities pondered for years about why exactly is the lab coat white. Why not red? Or blue? Or even pink?

It all started in the mid 1800s. Scientists were the only ones to wear lab coats. Since they were the ones researching the benefits of medicine and making the community healthier by making the public aware of the potential of science, they were highly respected and trusted by their peers, as well as society. Doctors wanted that very respect and trust (some wanted to surpass the respect of scientists) and therefore decided to wear lab coats as well. Wearing a stethoscope around their neck wasn’t simply enough.

However, even now, people, not even scientists or doctors, aren’t even sure why lab coats are white. It originially was meant to distiguish themselves from other professions, as well as keeping their clothes underneath clean. Perhaps white gives it a clean, professional look. Whatever the reason, lab coats sets the tone in a hospital, lab, dentist office, and any other medical facility.

On the contary, do not think that one have to attend medical school to wear a lab coat. Like previously stated, when one is starting on a lab, it is important that one wear a lab coat. lab coats can be found in several shapes and sizes, and one can easily find a lab coat to meet their needs.

Choosing the Right Lab Coat

Before one does any type of lab experiment, it is advise that one where a lab coat. It is a typical procedure and one that should not be forgotten. Ask anyone in elementary school and they will drone out the same rules pertaining to labs, “Eye goggles must be worn. Lab coats are to be on at all times. If anything is spilled, let the teacher know…” But one does not have to do a lab experiment to wear the universal lab coat. Go to a hospital or a dentist, and see dozens of doctors, orthodontists, and other medical professions wearing the typical, standardized white lab coat. However, others outside the medical and research facilities pondered for years about why exactly is the lab coat white. Why not red? Or blue? Or even pink?

It all started in the mid 1800s. Scientists were the only ones to wear lab coats. Since they were the ones researching the benefits of medicine and making the community healthier by making the public aware of the potential of science, they were highly respected and trusted by their peers, as well as society. Doctors wanted that very respect and trust (some wanted to surpass the respect of scientists) and therefore decided to wear lab coats as well. Wearing a stethoscope around their neck wasn’t simply enough.

However, even now, people, not even scientists or doctors, aren’t even sure why lab coats are white. It originially was meant to distiguish themselves from other professions, as well as keeping their clothes underneath clean. Perhaps white gives it a clean, professional look. Whatever the reason, lab coats sets the tone in a hospital, lab, dentist office, and any other medical facility.

On the contary, do not think that one have to attend medical school to wear a lab coat. Like previously stated, when one is starting on a lab, it is important that one wear a lab coat. lab coats can be found in several shapes and sizes, and one can easily find a lab coat to meet their needs.

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