are green scrubs only for surgeons?

Answer 1

No. I wear green scrubs to work and I don't even deal with patients directly. I work for a pharmacy in a hospital.

Usually people that work in the operating room (OR) wear green scrubs. That can be doctors, nurses, and techs. I wear them at my work because I sometimes have to go into the OR to restock the meds up there and I have to have green scrubs on, shoes covers ("booties") and a hair net on.

Originally, OR attire was white to emphasize cleanliness. However, the combination of bright operating lights and an all-white environment led to eyestrain for the surgeon and staff, and additionally, many people found the sight of bright red blood splashes on a white gown or drape rather off-putting. By the 1950s and 1960s, most hospitals had abandoned white OR apparel in favor of various shades of green, which provided a high-contrast environment and reduced eye fatigue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrubs_%28clothing%29#History_of_surgical_attire

Answer 2

I like the above answer - but would add two things:

Green was originally chosen as blood looks darker when splattered on it and was thus not as disturbing to people as the bright red it would appear on white cloth.

Also, the color of scrubs is often dictated by hospital policy and changed from place to place. My current hospital has surgeons wear blue, medical students wear green, therapists wear teal, OB nurses wear pink, etc. That way they can color-code and tell who's who at a glance.

Answer 3

Nope I wear my own scrubs, any color. I have some bright green ones too. Your hospital probably stocks green scrubs in the OR. The hospital usually has stock scrubs for employees and most surgeons and OR staff will wear the hospital scrubs so they all match and can just toss them out in the laundry between each patient and put on fresh ones.

Some hospitals are color coded, our radiology is blue, the OR has green and gray blue.