Healthcare facilities purchase a mix of different gowns for patient-care procedures. When purchasing reusable or disposable surgical gowns, ask yourself five questions:

.What types of procedures are performed in the hospital/clinic?

.How many of these procedures do we perform in a given period, and how frequently?

.What’s the average time for each type of procedure?

.How much fluid will be present for each procedure?

.What’s the clinician’s role in each procedure?

Once answered, you can refer to the AAMI Levels of Protection as a starting point to determine the product mix along with the quantities necessary. Both under- and overprotection negatively impact healthcare outcomes.

That said, these other factors should also be considered:

Ease of wear. In emergency situations, healthcare workers sometimes find that it takes too much time to don the proper equipment. This then leads to greater risks to the worker (if they choose not to wear the PPE) or to the patient (if it’s a matter of urgency).

Comfort. Uncomfortable or poorly-designed PPE can contribute to lower performance or dexterity, especially during long procedures.

Total cost. While disposable gowns may be the most convenient option, they may not be the most cost-effective — especially when coupled with the cost of proper waste disposal or incineration.