You must have seen doctors in green(of blue) apron, if not in your hospital then for sure in popular TV shows as Scrubs, JD mostly appears in light blue and Todd in green, and Grey’s anatomy(mostly blue), ever wondered why? Why hospital prefer these colors Why green and blue, well its certainly not a random choice because doctors all over the world put on the same color Aapron! Green is the complementary colour of red. It goes well with medical accessories and doesn’t shout for attention. Green, which provides a high-contrast environment, reduces eye fatigue and make bright red blood splashes less conspicuous. Also,we can find green colour as neutral even if we observe in spectrum.(Earlier the colour used was white…the combination of bright operating lights and an all-white environment led to eyestrain for the surgeon and staff. (By the 1950s and 1960s, most hospitals had abandoned white and apparels were selected in favor of various shades of green, and the light blue being very close to shades of green ). The Cool Colors The most relaxing colors are generally believed to be cool shades such as green and blue. Designers, psychologists, feng shui experts, and advertisers all agree that blues and greens make us feel calm, balanced, and less emotional. They use these hues, especially a sage green, in hospitals, test centers, and television stations to ease nerves and attenuate harsh emotions. Whether this reaction has to do with the effect of wavelengths on brain chemistry, linguistic associations, cultural meanings, or coincidence, has yet to be fully determined. Interior designers note that colors depend on trendy preferences, yet people consistently describe rooms painted blue and green as relaxing and harmonious. Although this provides anecdotal evidence, decorators have attempted to garner respect with backing from some scientific studies. Architects and painters use colors from the cool part of the spectrum like blues and greens on walls and ceilings in bedrooms and bathrooms where people like feeling peaceful. Green Highway Boards Driving down any highway in the, one can notice that every sign noting an exit or interchange is comprised of reflective white letters on a chalky, dark green background. Civil engineers determined that a driver’s eyes don’t get as tired looking at print on a green field, yet the colors provide enough contrast for easy character recognition. Another place we see green used is in the “green room” of theaters or television studios because nervous performers are quieted by the color. This is also the reason surgeons wear green scrubs. Hospital waiting rooms, psychiatric wards, and prison cells often paint their walls green for the same effect. Scientific researchers in neurology, psychology, and ophthalmology actually have found some preliminary evidence that the relaxing effects of green do not solely depend on cultural associations with leaves or meadows. Our eye perceives color using tiny sensors called cones. Certain cones are sensitive to red or green or blue light. However, overall they are the most sensitive to wavelengths at 510 nm, which translates to green light. Researchers hypothesize that this sensitivity to green objects might affect hormonal production or the circulation of neurotransmitters that in turn influence mood. Chromotherapy Chromotherapy goes back to ancient Chinese and Egyptian practices of using different colors to heal medical problems. Recent studies have shown that when exposed to green colored paper or placed in a green room, a person’s heart rate drops, blood pressure lowers, and muscles relax, while hot colors like red or orange cause these values to rise. There is some scientific backing, after all, to the idea that green is the most relaxing color. Read Also: Why Do Doctors Wear Crocs? The Best Exercises For Busy Doctors And Healthcare Professionals My Journey From Medical School To Medical Residency In Kenya Why Do Doctors Wear Green In Operation Theater? Check These 10 Awesome Gifts For Doctors Source
Although in every country coats are white, in México, at least, we still use white clothes (inside the OR, of course, we scrub). I find blue/green scrubs very attractive, but even Med students have to wear (in most of Med schools) white uniforms (usually within a knee-long coat); nurses wear white scrubs, and even atendings wear white too (not all the time; they're allowed to wear scrubs and in most of the cases suits with a white coat). That's why I find this information interesting... and I wonder in how many places white is still the main colour.
In Romania, at least in my city, we all look like a rainbow 99% of the doctors don't wear a coat anymore, scrubs and any other color but not white, is a true chaos here but although there isn't any color code many doctors choose green or blue/navy blue for their scrub .
Here in Uganda, Doctors wear white coats on clinics and wards and green/blue scrubs while in the theater.
It's not such a great chaos, doctors wear green and blue. Only some of them, who want attention dress -as you said- rainbow-style. I'm from Romania too.
