Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Convenience of disposable lab coats

By William Shawn

Almost every single doctor, nurse, surgeon or researcher in the medical field, will tell you that a good lab coat is extremely important during your work as a staff in the medical field. This not only applies to researchers, but even nurses and other support staff, as a good lab coat protects you from any accidents that might occur, especially if it concerns substances that might prove to be harmful to your physical body.

Even though the common perception of lab coats is that it must be white, you will be surprised to know that today, lab coats come in many different colors. One main reason for this being so, is for the purpose of identification. With different colored lab coats being assigned to different staff, the identification of the many roles that each staff plays becomes much easier.

Though it is common to find most medical institutions issuing white lab coats to the doctors, it is not mandatory. You will also find that most nurses and staff, who play a supporting role, will be issued green or blue lab coats. Either way, different institutions will have different guidelines; none of which are wrong.

You might also be surprised to know that there is actually more than one type of lab coat. Most lab coats are made from treated cotton, but today, there are lab coats made from all sorts of materials, designed specifically to give you maximum protection from specific chemicals and substances you might be handling. Also, there are disposable lab coats that allow you to dispose them easily and cleanly, without having to constantly send your lab coat for washing.

It is common practice for medical practitioners to take off their lab coats if it has gone through too much contamination, and even send it immediately to a specialized cleaning company that has the equipment to remove toxic substances from your contaminated lab coat. This is practice is very significant, as it prevents anyone from getting hurt as a result of exposure to the chemical substances that your lab coat might be stained with.

Should the amount of chemical contamination exceed acceptable levels, you would have no choice but to throw your lab coat away. If you have to do this, you will need to ensure that your lab coat is properly disposed of, as it should not be mixed with the rest of the trash.

Another thing you will need to note, is that it is highly recommended that you wear your lab coat properly at all times. This usually means that you have your lab coat fully buttoned up or zipped, and always have your sleeves fully extended and covering your arms. If you do not wear your lab coat properly, it will not be able to protect you from any toxic chemical substances that might cause you harm.

These are just some of the reasons why a lab coat plays a vital role in any medical practitioner?s line of duty. As a result, you should always wear a lab coat whenever necessary, and never underestimate the amount of protection you get from it. - 15366

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