Personal protective equipment (PPE) is special clothing that creates a barrier between a wearer and germs. This barrier is essential to reduce the chances of spreading harmful germs. In short, healthcare professionals need to wear it to prevent the spread of germs in hospitals or clinics, etc. In addition, it can protect people and other team members from infections.
All staff members working at any healthcare center and visitors can wear personal protective equipment. Mostly, workers wear them when they deal with blood or other body fluids.
If you are running a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facilities, you can buy high-quality PPE from one of the best medical distribution companies.
PPE products contain a variety of items, but the most widely worn protective apparel in any healthcare facility is;
Gloves-
Gloves are the first line of personal protective equipment gear that shields the hands from germs and prevents disease spread. Proper usage of gloves can prevent hand contamination to the maximum extent. If you notice gloves are damaged or punctured, take them off as soon as possible and clean your hands. Also, they should be used only once and disposed of after usage. Therefore, healthcare practitioners wear different gloves for each following patient.
Remember, gloves are not designed to offer complete protection against germs contamination. But one can enjoy the maximum protection by maintaining good hand hygiene before and after gloves use.
Face masks-
Who doesn’t know the importance of wearing face masks? Perhaps, all of us know! During the pandemic, face masks gained popularity among the general public too. These face coverings play a crucial role for healthcare workers by keeping them safe from breathing in some harmful germs. They are designed to cover the mouth and the nose.
Wearing a surgical mask is common among healthcare personnel, as it protects them against germs entering their nose and mouth. In this way, these PPE coverings can help them stay safe and protected against airborne infections. Due to COVID, another commonly used mask is a special respiratory mask (N95 respirator) that forms a tight seal over the nose and mouth. These masks are effective not only against numerous strains of Coronaviruses but also against pathogens such as tuberculosis and chicken poxviruses. In order to reap the optimum benefits of these masks, it is best to purchase them from the best medical distribution company.
Gowns-
Gowns are designed to withstand penetration by blood or other body fluids. They are beneficial in healthcare settings to prevent clothing contamination. An isolated or a non-sterile gown is frequently used in hospitals and surgical clinics. They are fluid-resistant clothing that keeps body fluids away from clothes for a short time. They may be disposable or non-disposable. They are used by healthcare workers during surgical procedures, for splash generating procedures, and for patient care on contact precautions.
Visitors are sometimes instructed to put them on before seeing someone who is being kept in isolation in a hospital or clinic due to a severe illness.
Besides the above popular products, other PPE products that are also used by medical professionals are face shields, shoe covers, head coverings, coveralls, lab coats, beard covers or sleeves, etc. These products can provide further protection against germs and illnesses. But remember, such PPE products should only be purchased from a reputable and trusted medical equipment distribution company.