Why are nurse uniforms pure white? Doesn't it make more sense for them to be red or brown?

Question

Why are nurse uniforms pure white? Doesn't it make more sense for them to be red or brown?

Answer 1

we can see if they are clean to be whit others .

Answer 2

bec white gets dirty soon so that they will wear fresh cloths every day

and stay clean

Answer 3

last Nurse I saw was in a green uniform (Scrubs) and anopther in purple they were stamped with (MGH) Mass general  

Answer 4

I see where you're coming from :)

I think it's just traditional although the uniforms are becoming more varied in colour.

Answer 5

Maybe it can be the same as the Karate belt system:  Start off with brown, move up to yellow or green, then red, then off-white and finally white can be for the top nurses.

Answer 6

Now days most places have nurses that wear bright colorful uniforms to supposedly evoke a friendlier mood to a patient.

But, to answer your question, originally nurse (and doctor) uniforms were all white to evoke the feeling of sanitation.  The old-timers once believed if something is pure white, it's clean.

Decades later, when more psychological research was done with the subconscious mind's response to color and environment, it was found that the traditional white uniform would often evoke anxiety or fear over the feeling of being in a clean environment simply because a white uniform was synonymous with hospitals/pain.  Hence, hospitals began to implement the use of colorful uniforms originally starting with the pediatric nurses (uniforms with cartoon characters on them, for example) to ease and try to comfort and distract otherwise frightened child patients.

Answer 7

why should they be red or brown,please explain why these colours make more sense.

Answer 8

I'm a student nurse and we usually wear plastic aprons if the patient looks bloody or S****y. Some nurses dont wear uniforms and charge nurses often wear dark blue. mine is white and blue tho

Answer 9

is the logic here so that the blood and c**p stains aren't as obvious.  Disgusting but a dang good point.

Answer 10

Most nurses wear various colors in this day and time.