Gown is an important piece of personal protection equipment (PPE) in the healthcare industry. Isolation gowns must be worn by the healthcare workers to protect their arms and exposed body areas during patient care activities during scenarios when contact with clothing, bodily fluids, blood, and secretions or excretions is likely. Covering the torso and clothing, isolation gowns create a physical barrier to prevent the transfer of microorganisms and other disease causing materials.
What are the performance requirements of a medical gown?
- Gowns must ensure a close fit without restricting the movement
- Gowns must repel infection causing agents
- Gowns must fit diverse body shapes and sizes
- It must withstand pulls during routine movements
- It must provide adequate ventilation to the wearer’s body while repelling outside fluids
- Gowns must ensure easy donning and doffing while avoiding contamination
- It is also required to be cost-effective
What other types of medical gowns are available?
In a broader sense, there are two types of medical gowns: reusable and disposable. That being said, these are further categorized based on the levels of protection required by medical professionals.
Authorities responsible for defining and classifying gowns recommend that regardless of how it is named, when choosing a gown, users must check the product labeling that mentions the intended use of the gown. In fact, the desired protection level should also be considered based on pre-defined risk levels. Product names are usually not standardized that may often lead to confusion. Therefore, labeling is essential.
Depending upon the protection levels, gowns can be categorized as:
- Minimal protection: to be used during basic care
- Low protection: to be used during blood draw, in ICU, or a pathology lab
- Moderate protection: to be used in emergency room, trauma center, inserting an intravenous line, etc.
Highest protection: to be used in high risk situations, to prevent virus penetration etc.