Gowns are personal protective equipment that are predominantly used in the healthcare setting. They are classified into four different levels and in this post I will break down each level for you.
Level 1: Level 1 gowns are minimal risk gowns. These gowns have the lowest level of protection. Level 1 gowns can be used for basic medical care, as a cover gown for visitors, or in any standard medical unit. The expected barrier effectiveness for a level 1 gown is minimal water resistant with some resistant to water spray.
Level 2: Level 2 gowns are used for low risk situations. Examples of where people use this gown are during blood draw, suturing, in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or a pathology lab. These gowns are used only for low-fluid, minimally invasive surgical procedures. Their expected barrier effectiveness is Low water resistance (resistant to water spray and some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure).
Level 3: Level 3 gowns are used in moderate risk situations. They are most commonly used during arterial blood draw, inserting an Intravenous (IV) line, in the Emergency Room, or for trauma cases. They are mainly used in the widest range of surgical procedures, where moderate fluid protection is indicated. The expected barrier effectiveness of these gowns are moderate water resistant. They are resistant to water spray and have some resistance to water penetration under constant contact with increasing pressure.
Level 4: Level 4 gowns are to be used in high risk situations. Examples of when they are used are during long fluid, intense procedures, surgery, when pathogen resistance is needed, or when infectious diseases are suspected (non-airborne). These gowns protection against blood- borne pathogens in critical zones, and are used for operating on patients with potential blood- borne pathogen risk. These gowns have the highest fluid and microbial barrier. There expected barrier effectiveness is to be Blood and viral penetration resistant.
What level gown do people use in the world of COVID-19:
In the world we are into today, many of you must be thinking what does each gown level mean for COVID-19. Many medical workers are wearing the level 1 gowns for general protection. People who treat COVID patients in the ICU are mainly wearing level 2 gowns, and you may see some wear level 3 gowns in the designated COVID section of the hospital. A level 4 gown is not so common when dealing with COVID because those gowns are for major surgeries, such as open heart surgery, or a lung transplant.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, the main difference between the gowns are there resistance to water and other fluids that may arise. Each situation is different, and gowns are mainly only used in the health care setting. If you are interested in a surgical gown, call CAG Federal today at 877-797-8776 to discuss your current needs!