What Are the Design Requirements for Medical Isolation Gowns?

There are currently no national standards or industry standards for medical isolation gowns. The American standard defines medical isolation gowns as protective clothing used to protect medical staff, visitors and patients from the transfer of microorganisms and body fluids in the case of patient isolation. Medical gowns can also be used to protect visitors in medical settings. Wear a disposable medical gown to protect the arms and exposed body of healthcare workers during surgical and patient care activities when contact with clothing, blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions is expected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's isolation precautions guidelines area.

1. Medical protective isolation gowns are widely used in intensive care units, infectious diseases departments and infectious disease hospitals of general hospitals

There are two types of medical protective isolation gowns currently used clinically: disposable and non-disposable. Disposable medical isolation gowns are more expensive, and a large amount of use will cause waste. There are many problems in non-disposable medical isolation gowns: the collar, cuffs, and abdomen are easily contaminated, which reduces the use time of medical isolation gowns; the design of the cuffs, back, and bottom is defective, and it is easy to contaminate the work clothes of the staff; the production materials are not good. waterproof etc. Studies have shown that there are many factors that cause nosocomial infection. Among them, the direct contact infection route is that medical staff and accompanying staff transmit pathogenic microorganisms or infectious substances colonized by themselves to patients through contact to cause infection, and medical staff wearing medical isolation clothing can effectively prevent infection, and control nosocomial infections.

Medical protective isolation gowns are designed to protect healthcare workers, patients and visitors from blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious materials during patient care or patient treatment. The main emphasis here is on blood and body fluids, and does not mention viruses that spread through the air, such as the new coronavirus. "360° coverage" is specified, which means at least ensuring that the front, sides and back of the arms and body are fully covered from the knee to the neck (excluding the neck) during exercise. We can see that the protective scope of the medical isolation gown is from the knee to the neck (excluding the neck), rather than covering the whole body from head to toe, and the head, neck, hands, and feet are not covered.

Ⅱ. Design requirements for medical protective isolation gowns

1. The design of medical isolation gowns should meet the barrier performance requirements.

2. For medical isolation gowns and other garments intended for isolation applications, the critical area should include the entire garment, including seams, but excluding cuffs, skirts and hems, and should have at least Class 1 barrier properties.

3. To ensure 360° coverage, when worn in the correct size, medical isolation gowns should be designed to at least ensure full coverage of the arms and front, sides and back of the body from the knee to the neck (excluding the neck) during exercise.

4. Medical protective isolation gowns that are ready to be reused should have a device to record or mark the number of cycles, or have an area (or multiple areas) on the medical gown, and the operator can use his own method to record or mark the cycle number of cycles. The wearer should be able to see and read the recording area.