Healthcare Uniforms: The Colors of Professionalism and Perception (2/2)
那些你不知道的醫護服裝二三事（下）
White coats are commonly worn by doctors, but there is another type of clothing typically found in hospitals. This plain-looking clothing is known as scrubs. Scrubs are made up of a loosefitting top and comfortable pants with an elastic waistband. They were originally designed to protect wearers from patients’ body fluids or infectious substances in an operating room. The name “scrubs” comes from the fact that surgeons and nurses scrub their hands before surgery. Today, scrubs are worn by many hospital personnel.
In contrast to doctors’ white coats, scrubs come in various colors. Several decades ago, surgeons wore white scrubs to emphasize cleanliness. However, this color intensified the brightness of the lights in the operating room. Thus, the color was changed to green, which allows surgeons to see the red color of blood clearly and reduce eye fatigue. In many operating rooms, it is required that all personnel wear scrubs for safety reasons. Normally, surgical scrubs are owned or leased by hospitals to ensure sterility.
Other colors of scrubs are also common in hospitals. As blue is associated with calm emotions, it is worn by nurses or other healthcare workers who provide direct care for patients. Nurses who serve children or pregnant women tend to wear lighter-colored scrubs such as pink, which are considered warm and harmonious. Dental assistants and staff at private healthcare centers often wear white scrubs to show their professionalism. While there are no set rules for the colors of scrubs, they may potentially influence patients’ emotions.