Cloth isolation gowns.

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I did an agency shift yesterday at a hospital that has cloth gowns for use in contact isolation rooms. It was great! They are much more comfortable and easier to use. You throw it in a laundry bin after each use and they wash them. Much better than those horrid disposible ones! I really loved this hospital, it was a great experience there and I guess they liked me since there was a message on my phone this morning asking me back.

Has anyone seen washable gowns?

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

Interesting and no I have never seen or even heard of cloth gowns!

Do they protect you as well from spills and blood as well as disposable ones? I know my gown yesterday (disposable yellow ones that make you sweat! LOL) I looked down and had blood all over my waist area from helping the doc put in art and central lines.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I have no idea if they protect you from blood as well. They were made of what felt like a silky cotton/poly blend. They were really nice!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

We have nothing but cloth gowns where I work.We have occasionally had the disposible ones but they are not liked by most.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

Yes, I've used them--they are really nice. I don't know what they are made out of--its something really slick on the outside. It feels kind of like a soft shower curtain. Maybe there is vinyl in it?

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Specializes in Gerontology.

We use mainly cloth. There are a few paper gowns and some plastic available. I don't like the paper - they are very thin and i don't trust that stuff will leak through. The plastic are too hot! I like the cloth - i think you are well protected wearing them.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

My facility did away with cloth gowns about a year ago.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

This is new to me, the first time I am hearing about cloth gowns! We still use disposable ones. I wonder if it is cheaper for the facility to re-use the cloth rather than constantly purchase expensive paper gowns?

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
This is new to me, the first time I am hearing about cloth gowns! We still use disposable ones. I wonder if it is cheaper for the facility to re-use the cloth rather than constantly purchase expensive paper gowns?

Maybe cheaper and 'greener' too.

Here's an interesting article about this issue from 'Infection Control Today Magazine'

Taking Cover:

Single-use vs. Reusable Gowns and Drapes

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/231feat2.html

From the article:

The following factors should be carefully considered in decisions to use single-use vs. reusable gowns and drapes:

  • Dual protection for both healthcare professionals and patients. Impermeability to moisture (to prevent "strike-through") is a significant criterion in choosing appropriate gowns and drapes. Also, adherence to federal regulations and professional guidelines is critical.
  • Placing high importance on protection. Garment and draping materials that allow penetration of infectious body fluids and microorganisms can lead to "strike-through," contamination, and disease.
  • Wisely selecting gowns and drapes. Assurance of asepsis, barrier effectiveness, comfort, economics, and environmental issues must be given priority in the selection process. Gowns and drapes are to be effective barriers when wet. For reusable materials, the ability to maintain barrier qualities throughout multiple washings is critical but also has been questioned.
  • Correctly assessing reusable materials. The ability of reusable gowns to resist strike-through varies with the number of uses, washings, and sterilization cycles. There are no universally adopted methods for counting numbers of uses of a reusable gown or drape. Laundry workers risk exposure to bloodborne pathogens from contaminated gowns and drapes.
  • Analyzing environmental issues. Single-use items are often falsely implicated for certain costs of waste disposal. Improper waste segregation, rather than use of single-use gowns and drapes, is usually the cause of increased amounts of RMW (regulated medical waste). There are advantages and disadvantages to both reusable and single-use systems.
  • Reviewing costs. Accurate assessments of costs are difficult at best. A comprehensive evaluation of costs requires a review of all related costs, some of which may initially be unapparent. Credible conclusions of costs have not been published.
  • Single-use items provide excellent barrier properties, consistent and reliable quality, and remarkable positive benefits to hospital staff and patients.

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Are you talking about the yellow "slicky" ones?? Or regular cotton yellow gowns?

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Specializes in LTC.

We have cotton yellow iso gowns. Haven't seen a disposable on in a veeery looong time

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

They seemed slicky, silky. They were great!

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