Company Blog
What Do Scrub Colors Mean? Plus, Picking the Right Ones
Scrubs have monopolized the healthcare dress code for years now, but the best colors are still up for debate. What factors do you take into consideration when choosing the right hues?
Many hospitals and medical facilities have begun color-coding different departments and units, selecting different colors or styles of scrubs to help patients and staff differentiate between nurses, doctors, surgeons and their areas of practice.
So, what do scrub colors mean?
And which color do you need for your specific practice? Well, it depends. Here are the things you need to consider when choosing scrubs:
1. What is associated with this color?
There’s a reason why you almost never see medical professionals wearing red scrubs. Red is the color of blood – an unhappy connection for most patients.
On the flip side, patients can have positive associations with certain colors. For example, mint-colored scrubs are a great choice for dental practices because of their connection to toothpaste and that clean-mouth feeling.
2. Will this color impact the staff’s ability to work?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at surgical scrubs. Green has long been the preferred choice of surgeons. Why? One theory is that since green is the color opposite of red, the contrast helps surgeons better distinguish between the colors of a patient’s body while operating.
Consider how the color of your scrubs will impact your employees and their ability to carry out tasks.
3. Does this color stain easily?
Medical professionals have to deal with a lot of bodily fluids and human waste. The last thing you want is an employee walking around with clearly visible stains. As a general rule, light colors show stains more easily while darker colors are better at hiding them.
However, not all medical professions and practices have to deal with exposure to staining substances on a regular basis. A family doctor isn’t necessarily going to have to worry about staining to the degree that an ICU nurse would.
4. Does this color fit my business’ brand and aesthetic?
As a business, it’s important to consider how your scrub colors factor into your overall image. Scrub design is fairly uniform across the medical industry, making the color of the scrubs a great way to showcase your medical business’ unique brand. Consider incorporating your logo colors or building off of your business culture. Running a upbeat pediatrician’s practice? Fun, bright colors might be the way to go. An OB-GYN practice? Consider colors associated with women like purple and pink. A trauma center? Navy blue scrubs are a solid choice as they strike a more serious tone.
No matter what scrub colors you choose, select a scrub supplier that you can depend on. MEDtegrity is the largest national network of independently-owned medical laundry facilities and uniform rental suppliers. Contact us today to get in touch with our medical apparel experts! The right scrub colors are just a call or click away.
