Revisualizing the Hospital Gown: Prioritizing Mental and Spiritual Well-Being
Team: Terresa Moses, Alisha Ghaju, Mansoureh Nikookar
Program: Graphic Design
Hospital gowns are often overlooked in their design, even though patients are often required and encouraged to wear them during inpatient stays. As healthcare moves forward with the Human Center Design practice, the patient’s perspective and dignity have been increasingly recognized in healthcare, making the hospital gown an opportunity to impact the well-being of the patients. In the study, the patient gown was redesigned after careful consideration of clothing on social identity and self-expression implementing the color theory and the cultural symbol. The redesigned gown prototype represents the overlooked Hmong population of Minnesota.
Based on color theory, the warm yellow color is used to evoke the emotion of trust and hope. The repetition arrangement of the motifs such as the Heart (Lub place) and Flower or Windmill (Paj) symbolizes Compassion, integrity, humility, friendship, symbolizing balance, and adaptability. Prioritizing these elements helps in potentially fostering the future gown design to make the connection with the psychological well-being of patients during the hospital stay.
Keywords: Patient Gown, Cultural symbols, Color theory, Mental wellness, Spiritual Wellness
