Gown should be worn when?

AIIMS Bhatinda NO - 2019

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhatinda NO - 2019

Explanation

The primary reason for wearing a gown is to prevent soiling of clothes and skin during contact with a patient, especially when there is a risk of splashes or sprays of blood or body fluids.
This practice is a core component of Standard Precautions, which are designed to protect healthcare workers and reduce the transmission of infections.
The decision to use a gown is based on a risk assessment of the specific task to be performed, anticipating the likelihood of contact with infectious materials.
Gowns used for barrier protection are typically made of fluid-resistant material to be effective.

Option A: While poor hygiene might increase the likelihood of encountering body fluids (e.g., during bathing or changing soiled linens), it is the potential contact with these fluids, not the state of hygiene itself, that necessitates a gown.
Option B: Routine medication administration, such as giving oral pills or standard injections, does not typically involve a risk of contact with blood or body fluids that would require a gown.
Option C: According to Standard Precautions, PPE use is based on the anticipated exposure, not the patient's diagnosis. All patients should be treated as potentially infectious. A diagnosis of HIV or hepatitis does not automatically require a gown unless a task is being performed that risks exposure to blood or body fluids.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Infection Control and Standard Precautions as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Proper use of gowns is critical for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and protecting nurses from occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens like HIV and Hepatitis B/C.
Nurses must perform a risk assessment before every patient interaction to determine the appropriate level of PPE needed. This is a fundamental aspect of safe nursing practice.
What if? If a nurse is changing a dressing on a small, dry, and covered wound, a gown would likely not be necessary. However, if the same wound were large, open, and actively draining, a gown and gloves would be mandatory to prevent contact with exudate.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the indication for using a gown as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Recall the principles of Standard Precautions, which state that PPE should be used based on the anticipated risk of exposure to blood and body fluids, not the patient's diagnosis.
Evaluate each option against this principle.
Option A (poor hygiene) is a situation, not a direct indication. The indication is the fluid contact that might occur.
Option B (medication administration) is a task that usually has a low risk of fluid exposure.
Option C (diagnosis) is incorrect because Standard Precautions apply to all patients.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 2 p. 237-239

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