Transform the uniform: designing fashion for the hospital of the future

ABSTRACT

Medical clothing items are standardised and serve a functional purpose. In this study, design students worked collaboratively with healthcare workers to create a concept-driven collection of hospital wear. The aim was threefold: first, to identify challenges with hospital clothing; second, to engage students in a real-world design challenge; and third, to gather reactions to the collection at fashion shows. We concluded the main motivation in patient gowns design is the preservation of dignity, while staff uniforms lack means for personal identification. Only a quarter of surveyed healthcare workers would wear the resulting collection, owing to their perception of practicality, where half of the surveyed patients would, praising its modernity and good coverage of the body. Engaging students in a real-world design challenge proved to be a valuable teaching tool. The work highlights opportunities in the redesign of hospital clothing and student engagement in design and health.

KEYWORDS:

• User-centred design
• hospital
• gown
• scrubs
• education

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge the students who created the collection and the QUT fashion studio personnel and students who supported the project. We would like to thank the organisers of Robotronica 2019, survey participants and the ‘real-world fashion show models’ who were all healthcare workers, scientists and/or patients. We also wish to thank Ms Joy Wilson, President of the Museum of Nursing History at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital who curated nurses’ dresses across the twentieth century under the care of the Royal Brisbane Hospital Nurses Association Inc.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by Queensland University of Technology.