What is an Isolation Gown?
What is an Isolation Gown?
Isolation gowns are examples of
medical protective
equipment used in health care settings. They are used to protect the wearer from the spread of infection or illness if
the wearer comes in contact with potentially infectious liquid and solid material. They may also be used to help prevent the
isolation gown wearer from transferring
microorganisms that could harm vulnerable patients, such as those with weakened immune systems. Medical Gowns are one part of
an overall infection-control strategy.
A few of the many terms that have been used to refer to gowns intended for use in health care settings, include surgical
gowns, isolation gowns, surgical isolation gowns, nonsurgical gowns, procedural gowns, and operating room gowns. (Source:
“Medical Gowns | FDA”. 3/11/2020. fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/medical-gowns)
What is the difference between isolation gown and surgical gown?
Disposable isolation gowns are used by medical personnel to avoid exposure to blood, body fluids, and other infectious
materials, or to protect patients from infection. Disposable gowns are not suitable in a surgical setting or where
significant exposure to liquid bodily or other hazardous fluids may be expected.
In 2004, the FDA recognized the consensus standard American National Standards Institute/Association of the Advancement
of Medical Instrumentation (ANSI/AAMI) PB70:2003, “Liquid barrier performance and classification of protective apparel and
drapes intended for use in health care facilities.” New terminology in the standard describes the barrier protection levels
of gowns and other protective apparel intended for use in
health care facilities
and specifies test methods and performance results necessary to verify and validate that the gown provides the newly defined
levels of protection:
?
Level 1 Gowns: Minimal risk, to be used, for example, during
basic care, standard isolation, cover gown for visitors, or in a standard medical unit
> Provides a slight barrier to small amounts of fluid penetration
> Single test of water impacting the surface of the gown material is conducted to assess barrier protection performance.
? Level 2 Gowns: Low risk, to be used, for example, during blood draw, suturing, in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or a
pathology lab
> Provides a barrier to larger amounts of fluid penetration through splatter and some fluid exposure through soaking
> Two tests are conducted to assess barrier protection performance:
Water impacting the surface of the gown material
Pressurizing the material
? Level 3 Gowns: 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 Gowns: 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)
> Prevents all fluid penetration for up to 1 hour
> May prevent VIRUS penetration for up to 1 hour
> In addition to the other tests conducted under levels 1-3, barrier level performance is tested with a simulated blood
containing a virus. If no virus is found at the end of the test, the gown passes.
(Source: “Medical Gowns | FDA”. 3/11/2020. fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-
control/medical-gowns)
The are many names for an isolation gown and there is not standardize product names. Other common names include:
protective surgical gown
,barrier gowns, medical gowns, ppe gowns, reusable gowns, disposable gowns, non-surgical gowns
Choosing Which Isolation Gown to Use
When you are selecting PPE Gowns, consider three key things. First is the type of anticipated exposure. This is
determined by the type of anticipated exposure, such as touch, splashes or sprays, or large volumes of blood or body fluids
that might penetrate the clothing. PPE selection, in particular the combination of PPE, also is determined by the category of
isolation precautions a patient is on. Second, and very much linked to the first, is the durability and appropriateness of
the PPE for the task. This will affect, for example, whether a gown or apron is selected for PPE, or, if a isolation gown is
selected, whether it needs to be fluid resistant, fluid proof, or neither. Third is fit. (Source: “Medical Gowns | FDA”.
3/11/2020. fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/medical-gowns : Please see: CDC Guidance
for the Selection and use of PPE in Healthcare Settings:
www.cdc.gov/HAI/pdfs/ppe/PPEslides6-29-04.pdf )
What material are hospital gowns made of?
Hospital gowns are made of fabric that can withstand repeated laundering in hot water, usually cotton. They are usually
fastened in the back with twill tape ties. Disposable hospital gowns may be made of paper or thin plastic, with paper or
plastic ties.
Gauze is a fabric that has many different uses,
medical gauze is specifically used in wound care. Gauze pads, bandage rolls, and other medical dressings all
take advantage of the highly absorbent quality of gauze. It is a versatile product and can be used by itself or it can be
saturated with petroleum like in Xeroform. When it comes to medical gauze you will have a lot of choices so it is best to ask
your doctor for a recommendation. If you are using medical gauze to treat an open wound then you should make sure you are
using a sterile gauze. It is important that wounds are kept clean and the best way to do that is to use sterile medical
supplies. Switching from regular nitrile gloves and using sterile gloves instead can keep a sterile zone for your wound. Your
medical supply store should have a selection of types of gauze, such as sterile gauze pads, bandage rolls, nitrile gloves,
and wound cleansers. All of these can help you avoid infection.
Woven Gauze
Woven gauze has a loose open weave. The loose nature of the weave allows the fluid from the wound to be absorbed into the
fibers. The open weave helps the wound fluid to pass through the gauze and be absorbed by other more absorbent dressings such
as a gauze pads or sponges. Woven gauze cannot be cut, the cotton material, because it is woven, will start to unravel. The
debris or lint can get lost in the wound which will delay healing. Woven gauze is a general gauze that is used as a secondary
dressing. It should not be used directly against a wound because it can dry the wound out which will make dressing removal
painful and it would damage any newly healed tissues.
Non Woven Gauze
Non woven gauze is made from fibers that resemble a weave but they are not woven, they are pressed together and
condensed. This tight pattern helps non-woven gauze absorb more wound fluid, which really means that it increases the over-
all absorbency. Non woven gauze has less loose lint than traditional woven gauze which means fewer bits and pieces of gauze
left behind in your wound. Those small pieces of fluff and lint can cause problems because any type of debris in your wound
can delay healing. Non woven fibers are usually made with polyester or rayon and sometimes they are blends of both. This
gauze tends to be more durable and more comfortable than woven gauze pads. Non woven gauze can be used as a primary dressing.
Medical Shoe Covers & Booties
Medical boot cover helps
protect shoes and flooring. In medical settings, spills can occur unexpectedly. To prevent unsightly stains or unsanitary
conditions, hospital shoe covers can play an essential role. Our hospital booties come from Hermitage Medical, Mckesson,
Dukal, Medline, AlbaHealth, Moore Medical and other quality manufacturers of medical supplies. These medical booties are a
one-size-fits-all shoe covering. To keep staff safe, take a look at Vitality Medical's Protective Gear.
What Are Surgical Shoe Covers Made From?
Surgical Shoe Covers are made of non-woven chlorinated polyethylene material. The non-woven characteristic creates a
nonstatic fabric so the surgical booties won't pick up dust, dirt, or microbes. The fabric is also fluid-resistant and
slip-resistant so that it's safe to wear.
Why Is It Important To Wear Shoe Covers In A Hospital Setting?
Hospital booties prevent dirt and, most importantly, bacteria from being tracked into sanitary environments. The
non-static hospital shoe covers are just one part of infection control to prevent cross-contamination as hospital staff
members enter and exit an operating room or the Intensive Care Unit.
Reusable isolation gowns
Recently, the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper put out a call for volunteer sewers of non-surgical gowns along with
instructions for their production, a list of materials, and a location from which full-size patterns could be obtained. It is
an effort being conducted at the local level. Instructions call for the use of Kona cotton, a heavier weight cotton cloth.
Each gown takes about an hour to sew. Cotton makes the gown washable and reusable. Washable isolation gowns can also made
from polyester and polyester-cotton blends. Similar calls are being made in Florida, in Montana, and, presumably, in many
places in between. In addition to the gowns, the med center has asked for volunteers to sew reusable face masks and head
coverings.
Disposable isolation gowns
Disposable gowns are commonly made from nonwoven materials such as polypropylene, polyester, or polyethylene. Rather
than sewn, the garments are typically assembled using thermal, chemical, or mechanical seaming. A number of companies are
gearing up for the temporary effort of making these garments to augment the short supply. It helps if a company is directly
involved in manufacturing and at least peripherally involved in producing biologically oriented products.
For instance, Petoskey Plastics, based in northern Michigan, has retooled an automotive seat cover production line to
begin producing gowns to the tune of 10,000 units per day. The company regularly manufactures blood and viral barrier
protective films and biohazard bags, so it had enough knowledge and experience to go from concept to production in short
order.
Another Michigan company, Saginaw-based Duro-Last, has applied its expertise in fabricating PVC roofing systems to
the problem of manufacturing PVC isolation gowns at several of its manufacturing facilities around the country. Larger
companies are stepping up too: L.L. Bean, Brooks Bros., Jockey – the list lengthens with each passing day.
Instructions appear on the internet for constructing disposable isolation gowns using Tyvek and double-sided tape.
Tyvek is routinely used for sterilizable medical device packaging. These makeshift gowns look as if they could be cut and
taped together quite quickly. It is a case where a little leeway and some ingenuity produces perhaps not an optimum product
but one that, under the circumstances, is better than nothing.
Indianapolis-based Community Health Network has posted a video and step-by-step instructions for making a Tyvek
isolation gown. An 8 ft. by 7 ft. sheet of Tyvek is folded over on itself and the gown pattern transferred to it. After
cutting out the Tyvek?, the material is unfolded. Sleeves are taped together with double-sided tape and then reinforced along
the outer seams with single-sided tape.