What's Up Doc?
It's all 'White' with us!!
A colour-change
suggestion has come from a member of the Canadian Medical Association. The suggestion has been put forward that Doctors abandon their
white coats and instead don a coat that reflects their particular specialism.
Hence, obstetricians could interchange between pastel blue and pastel
pink. Hepatologists, on the other hand, could wear
yellow (liverish yellow?!). Haematologists could venture forth in
red 'blood' red obviously! Of-course,
doctors working with infectious diseases could wear a lurid green, and
gastroenterologists and their ilk, yukky brown?
Quite a thought AND a feast for the eyes, the idea behind such a scheme is surely to make identification of the doctor clear. What this member of the Canadian Medical Association has NOT taken account of, however, is the significance of the
WHITE coats that doctors traditionally wear.
Why do they wear WHITE?
What message does WHITE give?
Quite simply, any 'uniform' vests authority. White coats are certainly no exception. The message that
white coats gives to the observer is very powerful. These observers are often people in distress, or in need of immediate reassurance.
The message of white worn thus is one of hygiene, of cleanliness and clinical purity, of authority. The doctor is immediately perceived as dependable, qualified and reliable, able to take control and to give help. BUT... the psychology of
WHITE goes much deeper. Black puts up barriers; people hide behind
black. (See Scarlet Pixel 'All about
colour' - 'Black Is it a colour?').
WHITE also creates barriers. Whereas
black absorbs all wave-lengths of colour, WHITE reflects all other wave-lengths.
WHITE separates people from each other.
WHITE has the effect of setting Doctors apart, reinforces a Doctor's authority, but also offers comfort, and helps to alleviate some of the mental upheaval that patients, or their relatives and friends, might be experiencing.
So, in terms of medicine, it seems that the white Doctors coat is probably here to stay.
WANT TO LOOK 5 YEARS YOUNGER?
Then read the Scarlet Pixel 'All about
colour' - article 'Smile please! - It's all 'white'
with us!' and see what WHITE can do to help you!!
© Scarlet Pixel 1999 - 2006
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