How medical clothing helps prevent infections and maintain hygiene in the medical environment

Medical uniforms are traditional working clothes for healthcare workers. Wearing it is mandatory, but not everyone remembers that this familiar garment has a great mission to protect medical staff and patients from dangerous diseases. Such a simple means of protection proves its effectiveness year after year, but in order for it to fulfill its protective function to the fullest, you need to carefully choose and use medical clothing correctly.

Hygiene standards for healthcare facilities

Healthcare facilities must meet a huge number of sanitary standards, as the lives of many people may depend on it. One of the main requirements is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene at all times. It requires not only regular wet cleaning, but even the construction and finishing materials of the premises must be selected to ensure that they can be effectively cleaned and disinfected.

One of the sections of the current hygiene requirements regulates sanitary and anti-epidemic measures in hospitals and contains guidelines for medical clothing:

• the number of sets of uniforms for each healthcare worker, which allows for its daily change;
• separate storage of medical and personal clothing;
• constant possibility of emergency replacement of uniforms in case of contamination;
• mandatory cleaning and sterilization of medical clothing.

Requirements for medical uniforms

The quality of medical clothing must also comply with hygiene standards, as it directly affects the safety of both healthcare workers and patients. Therefore, regulatory documents strictly regulate the properties of medical uniforms:

• protection - dirt repellency, impermeability to liquids, easy cleaning and sterilization;
• wear resistance - strength of materials, maintaining a stable shape, preserving quality after many cycles of washing and disinfection
• hypoallergenicity;
• comfort - quality of cut, comfortable style, breathable fabric;
• compliance with the medical worker's specialization.

If all the conditions are met, medical clothing becomes an effective barrier between the healthcare worker's body and occupational risks.

Safety function of medical clothing

Reliable protection and hygiene are the main requirements for medical workers' uniforms. According to their level, medical clothing is divided into:

sterile - subjected to special treatment and used in conditions that require perfect cleanliness, such as operating rooms and intensive care units;
non-sterile - cleaned by regular washing without sterilization, suitable for standard working conditions of most healthcare workers.

The term of use divides medical clothing into:

• disposable - usually sterile, not subject to disinfection and reuse;
• reusable - after cleaning, it can be sterilized and used for a limited or unlimited period of time.

Medical uniforms for permanent wear are made of durable, wear-resistant materials, so they are not harmed by frequent washing and disinfection. Such sets of uniforms are always designed for long-term use.

Additionally, to maintain hygiene and as an anti-epidemic measure, the staff of medical institutions use personal protective equipment:

• medical masks, respirators;
• gloves;
• shoe covers;
• goggles and shields;
• hats;
• protective aprons and coveralls.

Disposable clothing and protective equipment have a service life during which their protection is effective. Therefore, wearing them for as long as you want is prohibited. It is ineffective and even dangerous.

Any medical clothing, footwear, and additional accessories are necessary to interrupt the potential chain of transmission of pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases, which are most often transmitted with body fluids. When they get on the fabric, medical uniforms prevent them from entering the human body and spreading to personal clothing. Keeping the staff's medical clothing clean at all times prevents the spread of pathogens from one hospital patient to another.

Choose reliable medical clothing from LVB and be sure of your own safety. Our products are made only of high-quality, time-tested wear-resistant materials, so we can guarantee comfortable wear and retention of potentially dangerous biological fluids.

Keep safe, protect life: Discover the secrets of medical clothing in fighting infections and ensuring hygiene!