The traditional white coat: goodbye, or au revoir?

摘要

Last week, UK Health Secretary Alan Johnson outlined new measures to prevent hospital-acquired infection, including hand washing and a "bare below the elbows" dress code for clinical staff in hospitals, to start in January, 2008. The new policy means short sleeves. The policy bans the traditional long-sleeved white coat. Also banned are wristwatches, presumably leaving doctors to gaze expectantly for a convenient wall-clock when timing an event ortaking a pulse