Nurses are often seen wearing scrubs or uniforms in various shades of green. This color choice is not just an arbitrary decision or fashion statement. There are practical and historical reasons why the nursing profession has embraced green as its trademark color.
The History of Green Scrubs
Green uniforms first became popular for nurses in the early 20th century. Before this time, nurses typically wore white aprons over their own black or blue dresses. White uniforms were also coming into fashion around this time, as they conveyed cleanliness and sanitation. However, white fabric easily shows dirt and stains. As nurses performed messy procedures and handled wounds, pristine white uniforms were hard to maintain. The solution was to switch to green or blue scrubs, which could better hide blood and other soiling.
Green in particular emerged as the preferred shade for nurses for a few reasons:
- Green is psychologically associated with healing, life, renewal, and calm due to its connection to nature. This sends a reassuring message to patients.
- Green offers good contrast against red blood or pink flesh tones without being as harsh as a bright white uniform.
- Traditional dyes made green one of the easiest and affordable colors to mass produce for uniforms.
By the 1940s and 1950s, the color green had become indelibly associated with nursing in hospitals and pop culture images. While white is still common, green remains the most ubiquitous color for nursing scrubs today.
Why Green is Still Used
Even though dyeing and laundry techniques have advanced since the early 20th century, there are still practical reasons why green persists as the nursing uniform color of choice:
- Camouflage abilities: Green effectively hides stains and splatters that invariably happen in healthcare settings.
- Psychology: The color green relaxes anxious patients and communicates healing and strength.
- Tradition: Nurses, hospitals, and patients all associate green with nursing, continuing the legacy of the color.
- Professional identity: Green allows nurses to easily identify their colleagues at a glance.
Modern nursing scrubs also often feature lively patterns and fun details in non-traditional colors. But the green base or accents remain a constant. The color is part of the nursing brand and conveys professionalism.
How Different Hospitals Use Green
While green is ubiquitous, the exact shade and style varies depending on the hospital system and nursing specialty. Some examples include:
- Mint green – A pale, cool green associated with cleanliness. Often worn in maternity wards.
- Forest green – Darker green conveys tradition and professionalism. Used in older, prestigious hospital systems.
- Teal green – Bluish-green shade is calming but crisp. Favored in pediatric and mental health units.
- Lime green – Bright, light green projects cheer and freshness. Seen in newer or revamped hospital facilities.
Nurses may also wear specialty colors like purple in operating rooms, pink in OBGYN, and blue for ambulatory care. But greens remain the default. Nurses not wanting to be mistaken for other staff will choose some shade of green for their daily uniform.
Green Uniforms by Nursing Role
Beyond the hospital unit, the exact green shade and uniform style designate a nurse’s specialty and role. For example:
- Scrubs – Loose-fitting short sleeve shirts and pants in muted green. Worn by nurses providing direct patient care.
- Tunic – Knee-length, loose green dress with pants underneath. For OR nurses.
- Lab coat – Long green coat over scrubs. Designates administrative and teaching nursing roles.
There are practical reasons for these specialty uniforms too. Scrubs allow for easy movement and washability. Tunics prevent contamination in surgery. Lab coats convey professionalism for leadership roles not doing hands-on patient care.
Do All Healthcare Workers Wear Green?
While green is the most common, not all nurses and hospital staff wear it. Physicians often wear white coats to convey professional status and authority. Healthcare support staff like technicians, assistants, and environmental services may wear neutral colors like grey. Administrators dress business professional. That said, many hospitals are switching support staff to green uniforms for easy identification.
| Job Title | Typical Uniform Color |
|---|---|
| Nurses | Green |
| Physicians | White |
| Technicians | Grey |
| Support Staff | Grey or Green |
| Administrators | Business wear |
But green remains the signature color of nurses and today’s scrubs come in a rainbow of styles. While originally designed for practicality and thrift, the green uniform now conveys compassion and trustworthiness.
Green Uniforms Beyond Hospitals
The green nursing brand extends beyond hospitals. Nurses working in the following settings also favor green:
- Clinics & Doctor Offices
- Assisted Living Facilities
- Home Health
- Hospice Care
- Private Duty
- School Nursing
Green is also frequently required for nursing students doing clinical rotations to identify them. Some nursing specialties like midwifery or psychiatry may use unique colors, but green remains the default.
Military and Service Uniforms
Nurses serving in the armed forces and public health services also wear green uniforms to denote their profession. For example:
- Army Nurse Corps – Dark green scrubs with rank insignia
- Navy Nurse Corps – Blue scrubs with green insignia
- Air Force Nursing Services – Blue scrubs with green name/rank
- Public Health Service – Dark blue uniforms with green trim
Again, green is used to quickly communicate “nurse” in these uniformed services. The color ties civilian nursing to the military traditions.
Green Symbolizes the Nursing Profession
Green uniforms originated to hide stains, but the color now extends far beyond scrubs. Green is tied to nursing history, identity, and professionalism. It differentiates nurses from other healthcare workers. Young nurses are still “capped” with a green band to welcome them into the profession. Green nursing gifts abound. The color will likely remain a staple of nursing for the foreseeable future.
So next time you visit a clinic or hospital, take note of the greens. While white gets dirty quickly, green has stood the test of time. The nurses in green are honoring a proud tradition and signaling their care for patients. Green is the color of compassion and healing – perfectly suited for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for others.