The hospital gave me a gold star!

@NJChicaa (125854)
United States
January 7, 2026 7:46am CST
Okay well not really. I just walked out into the hall to ask the nurse for a couple bottles of water. When I was re-entering my room I noticed a tag with a yellow star hanging by the doorway. I was like "wut?" So I looked at a couple of other doorways and saw some more yellow ones but also a blue one. That's when I realized it was some kind of code. Off to the University of Google I went. I asked what a yellow star means in hospital. Turns out there are 4 colors--green, yellow, orange, and blue. Green is for mild injuries (cuts, sprains, etc) while blue is for the most serious issues (heart attacks, traumas, seizures, etc). My level of yellow (according to another hospital's ER description) is: "If you have a minor-to-moderate condition such as abdominal pain or mild breathing difficulties, you will go to the yellow zone. In this area, stretchers are only used for assessments and certain treatments. After you are seen by a health care provider, you may be asked to return to the yellow zone waiting room for further assessments, tests, and results." I thought this was an interesting way to code patients without being obvious about it. Have you ever seen it before?
https://www.oakvalleyhealth.ca/clinics-departments/emergency-department/emergency-department-green-yellow-orange-and-blue-red-zones/
8 people like this
8 responses
@GardenGerty (167147)
• United States
15h
Our experience is also, both in hospitals and nursing homes that yellow means a fall risk. In some hospitals they put you in a yellow gown, with yellow socks, and a yellow "falling star". I cannot remember what the other designs were, but whenever I see anyone with yellow in a care facility I suspect they might be a fall risk.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (368754)
• Rockingham, Australia
17h
I believe in Bali tourists are given their wares in colour-coded bags so other vendors know if you're a soft touch or not.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (109609)
• United States
7 Jan
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (67458)
• Centralia, Washington
7 Jan
That's news to me.
1 person likes this
• Torrington, Connecticut
7 Jan
That's a good way to identify the patients condition making it easier for nurses to get around
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (6880)
• United Kingdom
7 Jan
I’ve not seen it but I certainly think it’s a great idea.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (201130)
• United States
7 Jan
Can't say that I have, but I don't hang around hospitals.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91165)
• United States
7 Jan
Hmm never seen those but it reminded me of the gold stars I'd get in school
1 person likes this