Most of you might have heard the term PPE kit in these past two years due to COVID-19. However, personal protective equipment has been around for a long-long time. And, surgical gowns, gloves, masks, hair caps are all a part of personal protective equipment.
There are several manufacturers in the medical industry that have been producing these products. Among the many brands, a few have been in the market for over many decades. For example, you would come across Kimberly Clark gowns, gloves and medical caps and a bunch of other protective equipment. And, they act as a barrier between the patient, the doctor and the other elements that can spread the infection.
The sole purpose of these items is to protect the individuals from any external harmful bacteria or infection that others at the medical facility may carry. In medical terms, there are different types of gowns categorised according to the purpose they resolve. So, as you read further, you will be learning about types of gowns and their uses in detail.
Levels of Protection set by AAIM and ANSI
Before you learn about the types of gowns, you must know that the Association of the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and American National Standards Institutes set some guidelines that all manufacturers have to follow to keep the safety and quality of the PPE products at par.
There are four levels of protection defined by the AAIM and ANSI, and they are:
- The one that involves minimal risk: Gowns that can be used for a general check-up or while visiting a patient in the general ward fall under the category of minimal risk protection gowns.
- The low-risk protection gowns: Places like the pathology lab or the Intensive Care Unit where there is a low risk of direct exposure to any internal body parts is where you can wear a low-risk protection level gown
- Moderate risk: Moderate risk gowns can be put to use while inserting an external object/equipment into the body or in the emergency room.
- Intense or high risk: High-risk protection gowns are specifically made for highly sensitive areas. Places like the operation theatre are where a medical professional should wear a surgical or high-risk protective gown.
Types of Medical Gowns
Now that you know the different levels of risks and protection guidelines set by the AAIM and ANSI, it would be easier to understand categories of different types of gowns according to the level of risk protection.
Surgical Gowns
The surgical gown is to be worn by a health care professional while conducting a medical surgery, where there is a high risk of transmission of microorganisms from one person to another. Such gowns come with high-risk protection and a label. They can be used at any level for maximum protection.
Non-Surgical Gowns
The non-surgical gown comes under level one protection. They are for basic use to avoid transmitting any bacterias or microorganisms.
Isolation Gowns
In a place where there is a moderate risk of exposure to an infection, health care professionals need to protect themselves and their patients by wearing isolation gowns.
That was some basic information on gowns and how they are categorised based on their protection level. And you could look at the Kimberly Clark gowns to get a wide range of options to pick from. So, when choosing medical gowns, based on the level of risk you are exposed to, you should make a wise decision.
