How do you choose your surgical gown? A guide to AAMI barrier protection standards

Tuesday, June 6, 2017 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm CT 

Choosing a surgical gown for each procedure has never been more important for three reasons: 1) the rise of new pathogens and drug-resistant organisms (“super bugs”), 2) clinical emphasis on reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and 3) renewed efforts by hospitals to improve patient and staff safety via quality initiatives. In this webinar, Sandy Albright will discuss how understanding AAMI surgical gown standards can help providers select an appropriate level of barrier protection for each procedure.

Sandy will explain what AAMI is, what the four levels of barrier protection are and how they are defined. She will also discuss the risk of infection exposure for a variety of common OR procedures and then review the level of gown protection appropriate for each of those procedures.

Attendees will be able to:

  1. Discuss the importance of managing infection risk in the OR—and how surgical gown selection can play a vital role;
  2. Describe the purpose of AAMI and its gown standards;
  3. Outline the four levels of AAMI barrier protection;
  4. Know the three questions providers should ask when selecting a gown for a given procedure;
  5. Review how clinicians and materials management should collaborate to improve gown purchases—enhancing safety and controlling costs at the same time.

Presenter: 

Sandy Albright.pngSandy Albright MSHM, BSN, RN, CNOR, Senior Clinical Consultant, Cardinal Health

Sandy has more than 38 years of clinical experience—and the last 30 have been in the perioperative setting. Her clinical experience in acute care facilities includes med-surg and perioperative nursing. As a perioperative nurse, she has held positions as scrub nurse, circulating nurse, educator and service leader. Sandy spent most of her acute care career in the OR as an educator, holding that role in three different facilities across the country. In this capacity, her responsibilities included staff development, orientation and education—and policy and procedure development and implementation.

Sandy has a graduate degree in Healthcare Management, a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and an associate degree in Nursing. Professionally, Sandy has maintained her certification in perioperative nursing since 1989 and is an active member of AORN (Association of perioperative Registered Nurses), TNA (Tennessee Nurses Association) and Sigma Theta Tau (National Nursing Honor Society). Sandy served four years on the national Board of Directors for AORN and was on the National Nominating and Leadership Development Committee for two years.

AAMI levels determine per ANSI/AAMI PB70:2012. Suggested guidelines are not a substitute for clinician professional judgment and experience.