The Insidious Dangers of Disposable Isolation Gowns—and How to Address Them. Written by Karen Haberland, Senior Project Officer.
Isolation gowns are a longstanding infection control tool across hospital settings. These garments are intended to safeguard patients and clinicians by preventing the spread of disease-causing microorganisms. But do today’s disposable gowns provide the degree of protection healthcare workers assume? Not necessarily.
Switching from disposable to reusable PPE, Written for the BMJ
Sustainable sourcing, use, and disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) can help healthcare providers reduce the environmental impacts of their work. In this article we review supporting evidence and provide guidance for healthcare institutions to adopt reusable forms of PPE as safe, cost saving, and sustainable alternatives to single use disposables.
Evaluation of the physical performance of disposable isolation gowns. Written by Selcen Kilinc-Balci, PhD.
The threat of emerging infectious diseases has highlighted the need for effective gowns to protect health care workers and patients. Although studies identified end user issues with the physical performance of gowns, the literature that evaluates the performance is scarce. This paper represents 1 of the first efforts to investigate the physical performance of a substantial set of isolation gown models in the marketplace.
Investigation of the barrier performance of disposable isolation gowns. Written by Selcen Kilinc-Balci, PhD.
Recent epidemics and pandemics highlighted the need for effective personal protective equipment, including isolation gowns. The most critical property of an isolation gown is its ability to keep liquids and viruses from passing through the gown. Liquid and viral barrier penetration can be measured using laboratory test methods. Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) PB70 standard defines isolation gown barrier performance levels and requirements. In this study, 22 disposable isolation gown models from 6 manufacturers were tested for liquid and viral penetration resistance.
