High-quality medical procedures cannot be completed without a safe & sterilized environment and complete protection of patients and medics. Medical gowns or isolator gowns are part of Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) that serve as a protective barrier between patients and professional medics.
For assuring safety and protection, Association for Advanced Medical Instrumentation(AAMI) standards regulate the manufacturing of surgical and medical gowns for different levels of risk handling.
Level 1- minimal risk protection in settings like basic medical care units.
Level 2- low risk protection in settings like intensive care units, blood drawing from veins, or pathology labs.
Level 3- moderate risk protection in settings like arterial blood draw, inserting an iv, emergency room, trauma
Level 4- highest risk protection against blood-borne pathogens, non-airborne viruses, and fluid resistance. It is used mostly in the critical care units, treating pathogens, and for virus exposure minimization.