Wayfinding / Directional Signs for Hospitals
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Signage is a huge part of our daily lives and we need signs in almost every public place for various reasons. Hospitals are not left behind when we talk about public places that need signage. In fact, hospitals are one of those places where signage is extremely important.
We find various types of signage at a hospital – from marketing signs to signs telling us about the details of a certain department and doctor to directional signs used for wayfinding. Hospitals are full of signs but often go unnoticed by people. If you begin to observe, you will notice how many different types of signs there are at a hospital but the most common ones are directional signs.
Do you have an idea of what directional signs really are and why we need them at hospitals out of all places? Well, if you don’t know, don’t worry, you are at the right place. Today, we are talking about wayfinding and directional signs present at hospitals.
What Are Directional Signs?
As their name suggests, directional signs or wayfinders are a type of signage that is used to help people navigate through a place. They help people understand the direction in finding the exact location they ought to go. Since they help in “finding the way”, directional signs are commonly known as wayfinders or wayfinding signs.
Why We Need Directional Signs at Hospitals
Now that we know what directional signs are, let’s see why we need directional signs at hospitals. Well, there are many reasons for it, such as:
- They help patients understand where they can find the doctor or department they are looking for.
- They help visitors find their family members admitted to hospitals.
- They help both patients and visitors navigate the hospital in case they need to go to various departments at the same time. For example, sometimes, patients need to visit labs for testing and then get their results back to their doctors.
- They help identify places visitors and outsiders are not allowed to go; directional signs can show you which way the restricted area is.
- They help people find restrooms in hospitals.
How to Make directional Signs Effective in Hospitals
Directional signs can be much more effective if they are made properly, and for that, there are some best practices that you can incorporate into your directional and wayfinding signs that can help, such as:
- Use Symbols:Sometimes, adding symbols and pictures with text can help people understand better. If you want to add a direction, it’s better to add an arrow along with it as well. It helps people who can’t read understand the sign as well.
- Consider Illumination:Illumination features allow signs to be visible at night and from afar, which is very important in hospitals to cater to people with viability issues.
- Make them Legible with High Contrast:Try to make signs and the text on them big enough so they are easily read from afar. Try to use dark lettering in light colors to increase readability.
Get Custom Directional Signs
You must have understood by now that directional signs are essential for a hospital. If you are looking for a trustable company to make customized directional signs for your hospital, contact Vector Signs Solutions.
