Do you know about the disposable surgical apron, which is a type of self-protective equipment? Well, self-protective equipment is a device designed as a barrier against the penetration of substances, solid, liquid, or air particles to protect the wearer from injury or the spread of infection or disease.
When used properly, the equipment acts as a barrier between infectious material (e.g. viruses and bacteria) and the skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes) of the health worker and the patient. Barriers have the potential to block the transmission of contaminants from blood, body fluids, or respiratory secretions. Well, let’s discuss in full the disposable surgical apron!
What is a disposable surgical apron?
Disposable surgical gowns are body protection from exposure through contact or droplets with infectious fluids and solids to protect the arms and body areas of health workers during patient care procedures and activities.
The ideal dress requirements include effective barriers (able to prevent fluid penetration), function or mobility, comfortable, not easily torn, fit well (not too big or too small), biocompatibility (not toxic), flammability, odor, and quality maintenance.
Types of gowns include surgical gowns, non-surgical isolation gowns, and surgical isolation gowns. According to its use, dresses are divided into 2, namely disposable dresses and reusable dresses.
The benefits of using the disposable surgical apron
The surgical apron as a barrier has the potential to block the transmission of contaminants, such as blood and body fluids or respiratory secretions.
The use of the appropriate surgical apron must also be accompanied by other infection control practices by health workers and doctors, dentists, and nurses, such as washing hands properly at five moments of washing hands, coughing etiquette, and sneezing.
The use of the surgical apron itself can only be used once, therefore it is important once again to remove or remove a surgical apron that has been contaminated or has been used to prevent exposure of the wearer and other people to infectious materials.
Selection of the right surgical apron to identify the potential exposure to expenditure that is caused, and to understand the work basis of each type of surgical apron that will be used in the workplace, where these potential hazards threaten health workers in the hospital.
The principles that must be fulfilled in choosing a surgical apron are that it must be able to protect against specific hazards or hazards faced, such as sprinkling, direct, or indirect contact.
Self-Contamination during the process of removing the disposable surgical apron
Disease transmission can still occur even though officers have worn disposable surgical apron that meet standards. This is thought to be the result of self-contaminating during the process of removing personal protective equipment (doffing). Pathogens found in fluids that contaminate self-protective equipment can remain infectious for some time.
The use of layered disposable medical aprons does provide a good protective effect, but it can limit the movement of medical personnel. Also, the risk of self-contaminating increases when the officer has to remove the equipment with layers.
Therefore, the removal procedure must be carried out carefully and in the correct order. Self-protective equipment removal procedures should be performed in a special doffing area, guided by a trained supervisor, and assisted by an assistant, especially in removing complex attributes.
Those are everything about the disposable surgical apron.