I Can't Tie My PPE Gown Correctly! HELP!!!

Nursing Students Male Students

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So, I am doing really good in my CNA class which I am taking in order to earn points towards admission to a COTA program. The only problem is that when it comes to the labs, I can't tie my PPE gown without seeing what I'm doing!

This is a problem because this is needed in our labs and if I can't do it, I flunk out of the class!!! The gowns are flimsy and I can barely feel what I'm holding so when I try to tie it a butterfly knot (I can't just tie it in a knot). Everyone else has problem. It's like tying a bikini top they tell me, but I have no experience doing it. My first attempt at testing out of the PPE lab is this Tuesday and I need someone to help me with this!

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Can you practice with buying some disposable gloves and a shoe lace? Or can you ask them if you can take the gown home to practice?

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I got the gown, but I'm still having trouble and it comes apart easily. The material is so flimsy I can barely feel how I'm doing. My brother is might bring me another gown that is more well put together from his workplace since OSF is generally cool about these sort of things, at least where we're at.

It's just so frustrating. I don't want to flunk out because I can't tie a butterfly knot without seeing it.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

I have yet to successfully tie my own apron in a A&P dissection lab, glad it's not just me lol

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Here's what I was taught to do when I was in unit orientation: Take the seam that makes the front of the gown that goes under your chin and rip the seam off just enough to get your head in. That automatically takes care of worrying about the tie at the neck level. Then put in on (your head goes through the area you ripped open, the back of the seam acts like a tie), and then you just have one tie in the back. Then put on your gloves.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

Are you talking about tying the neck portion? I always tie the knot in front of me where I can see it. Then once it's tied to just put the loop over my head. Is that an option?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I find it helps to close my eyes while I'm doing it.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

A) Start by doing it in front of you with you eyes open but really think about what you're doing with each action.

B) Then do the same thing with your eyes closed.

C) Then roll your hands over so that the dorsi are facing the floor and do it again with your eyes open

D) Then do it again with your eyes closed

E) Then put the gown on someone else and repeat steps C & D

F) Then do it on yourself, with your eyes closed and carefully visualize each action just before you do it.

It's like learning any complex motor skills... break it down into manageable parts, master each part, then combine them.

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