The Rising Cost of Prescription Drugs
The ShiftPosts co-founders bring decades of expertise from across the healthcare industry, and understand the critical importance of efficient healthcare scheduling of staff.
There isn’t a specific dress code for pharmacists that is universally acknowledged. Public-facing jobs need to send the right message through a dress code, but how a pharmacist dresses depends on the situation. Professionals are often judged by their attire, and how a pharmacist dresses affects their patients’ opinions of their credibility, knowledge, and trustworthiness. Because of this, pharmacists must be careful not to be too casual in their dress so their patients are more likely to trust them.
Lab coats are a personal choice for pharmacists; however, a survey of customers shows that patients prefer their pharmacists to wear traditional white lab coats. Still, as long as they dress professionally and build a relationship of trust with their patients, pharmacists aren’t required to wear lab coats. When it comes to what pharmacists do wear, it depends on where a pharmacist works.
Lab coats were initially considered the norm for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals because it was easy to see when they were dirty and needed to be cleaned or disinfected. White shows every imperfection, and white lab coats do the same. They also protect a professional’s clothing while working with medical compounds. However, systems have changed, processes are different, and cleaning and disinfection happen much more frequently. This has made the need for white lab coats for healthcare professionals less prevalent. The general public still associates lab coats with pharmaceutical work, though so many pharmacists still use them.
Not all pharmacists wear scrubs. Many hospital pharmacists wear scrubs, and pharmacy techs may wear them in some other pharmacies, but there is no required color for pharmacy employees to wear. Depending on the hospital pharmacy, the scrubs may be red, navy blue, or another neutral color. Most pharmacists wear professional business clothing outside hospital pharmacies, such as khakis or slacks and button-up shirts; some might even wear ties.
Scrubs
Khakis or Slacks
Button-up Shirts
Ties
Pharmacists must wear comfortable, professional-looking shoes, which is what they should look for when shopping for work-appropriate footwear. Loafers and clogs with good support are excellent options. Depending on the dress code, black or brown shoes look professional and blend well with the overall appearance that most pharmacists aim for in the workplace.
When it comes to what does a pharmacist wear for shoes, the best shoes for pharmacists are comfortable, professional-looking shoes. Pharmacists often
choose to wear orthopedic shoes because they have good arch support and are comfortable for continuous wear. Since pharmacists are on their feet most of the time, they need shoes that will not become uncomfortable throughout the day.
Like pharmacists, healthcare workers should look for comfortable shoes with good support; clogs, sneakers, and the like are good options for that purpose. Shoes in neutral colors will usually go with any uniform healthcare workers require.
Pharmacists spend most of their shifts standing and walking around. There aren’t usually many opportunities to sit down in a pharmacy between filling prescriptions, taking phone calls, interacting with patients, answering questions, etc. Most pharmacies expect their pharmacists to stand for most, if not all, of the day.
It certainly takes work to become a pharmacist. Becoming a pharmacist requires six years of education: two years of specific undergraduate study and four academic years of pharmacy study. This schooling is followed by plenty of training and experience. One must also pass multiple exams and become licensed before becoming a pharmacist.
two years of specific undergraduate study and four academic years of pharmacy study
Overall, the dress code for pharmacists varies from pharmacy to pharmacy. Some pharmacies require business-casual clothing, and some require business-professional outfits. Some pharmacies will have their pharmacists in scrubs, and some will have their pharmacists in the classic white lab coat. Above all, pharmacists need to build professional, trustworthy relationships with their patients, regardless of what they wear.
If you need to fill a shift at your pharmacy, try ShiftPosts. We make filling pharmacy shifts as easy as possible, and we’re the leader in the pharmacy industry for staffing and relief. With ShiftPosts, relief scheduling is just as easy as booking your own staff and ensures continuity for your business and your patients. Find qualified, quality pharmacy workers to help you out by using ShiftPosts today — just make sure you let them know your pharmacy dress code!
The ShiftPosts co-founders bring decades of expertise from across the healthcare industry, and understand the critical importance of efficient healthcare scheduling of staff.
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