One exciting thing about the hospital is that every one of their items, right from their equipment, uniform, and beds, down to their bedsheets, are carefully selected, and there’s usually a reason for choosing them. For instance, the scrubs you see on nurses and caregivers are deliberately made with thick fabrics to prevent direct contact between their skin and the bodily fluids of their patients.
If you have been to a hospital before, you may have noticed that their beds are usually covered in either green or white bedsheets. But have you for once wondered, “why hospital bed sheets are white or green?”. This helpful article explains why you will almost always see hospital bed sheets in these colors.
Table of Contents
- Why are hospital beds sheet white or green
- How do Hospitals wash their sheets?
- Why do Hospitals have blue sheets?
- What is the best bedding for Hospital beds?
- Can you use regular sheets on Hospital beds?
- Why are hospital beds and screens mostly green or blue?
- Why do surgeons wear blue or green?
- What colors are used in the hospital?
Why are hospital beds sheet white or green
- For hygiene
Do you know that every patient in a hospital is at risk of contracting HAI( Hospital Associated Infection)? HAI is any new infection contacted by a patient within 48 hours of being admitted into the hospital, which the patient did not originally come with to the hospital.
This infection is considered to be deadly, and one of the preventive methods used for preventing the exposure of patients to this infection is by using sterile white sheets.
- It is faster and easier to clean white bedsheets
Daily, hospital bedsheets are usually exposed to blood, vomitus, excretions, skin, secretions, and other bodily fluids of patients; therefore, they must be washed and treated every day.
White-colored bedsheets are the only type that can withstand the intense cleaning and bleaching process that hospital sheets are usually put through. Also, they can better withstand the chemical treatments used to sterilize the bedding.
- White bedsheets make it easier for stains to be easily detected
In the early stages of medical interventions, colored bedsheets were used. Still, in this period, the growth and spread of bacteria were encouraged because it was usually hard for nurses to know whether or not the sheets were dirty.
Nowadays, these colored bedsheets have been replaced with white ones to ensure stains are easily and readily detected to facilitate immediate replacement. After having read all these, you may be wondering, but this has nothing to do with green bedsheets.
Well, green bedsheets are believed to be much easier to clean than white ones, so they are often just used as an alternative. Additionally, green bedsheets are said to enhance the vision of surgeons during operations.
How do Hospitals wash their sheets?
- All sheets in every ward and department are collected and categorized into likely to be infected and not likely to be infected. The likely infected sheets or linen are those that have been soiled with blood or any bodily fluid hence, the separation.
- Any staff or personnel responsible for the receiving and sorting of the sheets are usually on gowns, gloves, and masks and usually refrain from putting their hands in their mouth or eyes or even drinking and eating while the sorting is going on.
- Every infected sheet in the first category is left to soak in 0.5% bleaching solution for about 30 minutes before they are later washed in a detergent/water solution to remove the bleach.
- Treated sheets are handed over to where they will be washed with both infected and not infected sheets handed over separately. Then they might be checked for possible damage or tears.
- Infected and none infected sheets are washed separately and dried, and ironed before they are handed over to the health facility, where the sheets will be appropriately accounted for and repaired if there’s any damage.
- The cleaned sheets are then transported in a trolley and stored in a dry place.
What sheets are used in Hospital beds?
Most sheets you see on Hospital beds are made of cotton and polyester blend. This is the top choice for Hospital beds because they are straightforward to wash, soft, comfortable, and generally inexpensive compared to others made from different fabrics.
Why do Hospitals have blue sheets?
Hospitals use blue-colored sheets as alternatives to white-colored ones because of two reasons: psychological and technical reasons. Just like white-colored sheets, blue-colored sheets are also relaxing and helps put the mind of patients at peace, and they are lightweight.
During surgery, white sheets affect surgeons’ visibility due to the reflection of light on them: they create a blinding glare that prevents the surgeon from seeing. Blue or green colors don’t react as much to light, hence the reason they are considered a better alternative.
What is the best bedding for Hospital beds?
An ideal hospital bed must be made of 55% cotton and 45% polyester, and such material must have at least 180 thread count. This type of bed should be durable, comfortable, and capable of providing extra coolness.
Can you use regular sheets on Hospital beds?
No, you cannot use regular sheets on Hospital beds.
Hospital beds usually have a standard size which is not the same as regular beds. Mostly, you will find Hospital beds in 36 inches by 80 inches sizes. This is why a particular type of bed sheet is often used for Hospital beds.
Why are hospital beds and screens mostly green or blue?
Hospital beds and screens are often made green or blue to enhance the vision of the surgeons and their assistants during operations. A lot of bleeding occurs during surgery; when a blue or green bedsheet is used, surgeons will be able to see blood more clearly. Red (blood) and green/blue are complementary colors.
Why do surgeons wear blue or green?
If you study the color wheel closely, you will realize that green is directly opposite to red, and therefore, they complement each other. Therefore, when surgeons are on green or blue in the operating room, they can see more clearly and even become more sensitive to different red shades — blood.
What colors are used in the hospital?
The traditional color of the hospital is white, but in the operating room, blue and green are the most used colors due to their vision-enhancing qualities.