How Does a Disposable Gown Provide Protection in a Healthcare Setting?
Introduction
In the healthcare industry, the safety of both patients and healthcare workers is paramount. One of the key tools used to ensure this safety is the disposable gown. These gowns serve as a critical barrier, protecting against the spread of infectious agents and other contaminants. This article explores how a disposable gown provides protection in a healthcare setting, the importance of proper usage, and the standards that these gowns must meet.
The Role of Disposable Gowns in Healthcare
Disposable gowns play a crucial role in healthcare settings, providing a physical barrier between healthcare workers and potential hazards. These hazards can include blood, bodily fluids, and other potentially infectious materials, as well as some chemicals and drugs.
Protection Against Infectious Agents
One of the primary functions of a disposable gown in a healthcare setting is to protect against infectious agents. These gowns are designed to prevent the spread of microorganisms from the environment or the healthcare worker to the patient, and vice versa.
The gown achieves this by acting as a barrier that these microorganisms cannot penetrate. The materials used in disposable gowns are typically non-porous, preventing microorganisms from passing through. This is particularly important during procedures where there is a high risk of contact with blood, bodily fluids, or other potentially infectious materials.
Protection for Healthcare Workers
While disposable gowns are crucial for patient protection, they also provide essential protection for healthcare workers. These individuals are often at risk of exposure to infectious agents, chemicals, and drugs, which can lead to illness or injury.
By wearing a disposable gown, healthcare workers can protect their clothing and skin from exposure to these hazards. This is particularly important during procedures that involve splashes or sprays of blood, bodily fluids, or other potentially infectious materials.
The Importance of Proper Usage
While disposable gowns provide significant protection, their effectiveness is highly dependent on proper usage. This includes correct donning (putting on) and doffing (taking off) procedures, as well as appropriate behavior while wearing the gown.
When donning a gown, healthcare workers should ensure that it is securely fastened and that it covers their clothing completely. Any gaps in coverage could provide a route for the transmission of infectious agents.
Similarly, when doffing the gown, care should be taken to avoid contaminating the skin or clothing. The gown should be removed in a manner that minimizes the risk of contact with the outside of the gown, where contamination is most likely to occur.
Compliance with Standards
Disposable gowns used in healthcare settings must comply with specific standards to ensure their effectiveness. These standards, set by organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), specify requirements for the barrier performance, tear resistance, seam strength, and other properties of the gown.
By complying with these standards, manufacturers can ensure that their gowns provide the necessary level of protection. Healthcare facilities, in turn, can be confident in the protective capabilities of the gowns they use.
Levels of Medical Gowns
When choosing gowns, it’s important to look for product labeling that describes the intended use with the desired level of protection based on the risk levels. The FDA recognizes the consensus standard American National Standards Institute/Association of the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (ANSI/AAMI) PB70, which establishes a system of classification for protective apparel and drapes used in healthcare facilities based on their liquid barrier performance. This standard specifies related labeling requirements and standardized test methods for determining compliance.
The standard assists end-users in determining the type(s) of protective product most appropriate for a particular task or situation:
- Level 1: Minimal risk, to be used, for example, during basic care, standard isolation, cover gown for visitors, or in a standard medical unit
- Level 2: Low risk, to be used, for example, during blood draw, suturing, in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or a pathology lab
- Level 3: Moderate risk, to be used, for example, during arterial blood draw, inserting an Intravenous (IV) line, in the Emergency Room, or for trauma cases
- Level 4: High risk, to be used, for example, during long, fluid intense procedures, surgery, when pathogen resistance is needed or infectious diseases are suspected (non-airborne)
Surgical Gowns
A surgical gown is regulated by the FDA as a Class II medical device that requires a 510(k) premarket notification. A surgical gown is a personal protective garment intended to be worn by health care personnel during surgical procedures to protect both the patient and health care personnel from the transfer of microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate matter. Because of the controlled nature of surgical procedures, critical zones of protection have been described by national standards.
As referenced in Figure 1: the critical zones include the front of the body from top of shoulders to knees and the arms from the wrist cuff to above the elbow. All surgical gowns must be provided sterile and labeled as a surgical gown. The entire front of the gown (areas A, B, and C) is required to have a barrier performance of at least level 1. The critical zone compromises at least areas.
Conserving Supplies of Personal Protective Equipment in Healthcare Facilities during Shortages
The greatly increased need for PPE caused by the COVID-19 pandemic caused PPE shortages, posing a tremendous challenge to the U.S. healthcare system. Healthcare facilities experienced difficulty accessing the needed PPE and had to identify alternate ways to provide patient care.
Surge capacity refers to the ability to manage a sudden increase in patient volume that would severely challenge or exceed the present capacity of a facility. While there are no commonly accepted measurements or triggers to distinguish surge capacity from daily patient care capacity, surge capacity is a useful framework to approach a decreased supply of and/or increased demand of PPE during during stressors to health systems, such as public health emergencies.
To help healthcare facilities plan and conserve the use of PPE in response to increased use and demand, CDC developed a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Burn Rate Calculator. Three general strata are used to describe surge capacity and can be used to prioritize measures to conserve PPE supplies.
- Conventional capacity: strategies consisting of engineering, administrative, and PPE controls that should or could normally be implemented in general infection prevention and control plans in healthcare settings.
- Contingency capacity: strategies that are not typically commensurate with U.S. standards of care, but may be used temporarily during periods of anticipated PPE shortages in order to prioritize and preserve PPE. Contingency capacity strategies should only be when the benefits are thought to outweigh possible harms and should not be considered a routine replacement for conventional strategies.
- Crisis capacity: strategies that are not commensurate with U.S. standards of care or worker protection, but may be used temporarily during periods of known PPE shortages. Crisis capacity strategies pose the highest risks to HCP and patient health and safety. Crisis capacity strategies should only be implemented when the benefits are thought to outweigh possible harms and should not be considered a routine replacement for conventional strategies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, disposable gowns play a crucial role in protecting both patients and healthcare workers in a healthcare setting. They provide a physical barrier against infectious agents and other hazards, helping to prevent the spread of disease and protect against injury.
However, the effectiveness of these gowns is highly dependent onproper usage and compliance with standards. By ensuring that gowns are used correctly and meet the necessary requirements, healthcare facilities can provide a safe environment for both patients and staff.
Moreover, understanding the levels of medical gowns and their appropriate usage is crucial in ensuring the right level of protection is provided. From minimal risk situations to high-risk scenarios, different gowns are designed to cater to specific needs.
In times of PPE shortages, healthcare facilities must also be prepared to manage their resources effectively. Tools like the PPE Burn Rate Calculator can assist in planning and conserving the use of PPE. Furthermore, understanding the different capacity strategies – conventional, contingency, and crisis – can help facilities prioritize and preserve their PPE supplies, ensuring that both patients and healthcare workers remain protected even in challenging circumstances.
As we navigate through public health emergencies and beyond, the role of disposable gowns remains pivotal in healthcare settings. By providing a robust barrier against potential hazards, these gowns contribute significantly to the safety and well-being of everyone in the healthcare environment.
In the end, the disposable gown is more than just a piece of clothing. It is a symbol of the healthcare industry’s commitment to safety, protection, and the relentless pursuit of a healthier future for all.
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