A new online FAQ posted by The Joint Commission leaves it in the hands of hospitals to best determine which staff members should wear protective gowns when entering rooms with patients on contact precautions.

 

Generally, surveyors will look for gown use if an employee’s regular clothing could come in direct contact with an infected patient or potentially contaminated surface, the FAQ states.

 

Making that judgment involves a good understanding of a particular employee’s risk. “For example, it is very probable that a nurses’ aide preparing to perform a bed bath will have contact as described above, and therefore a gown would be expected,” according to the FAQ. “However, one of a large group of residents performing rounds with an attending physician would have a lower likelihood of clothing contamination.”

 

Do you or your colleagues need help with The Joint Commission’s infection control standards? Check out our Infection Control Compliance Guide, Third Edition.