Vozzola Eric, Overcash Michael, Griffing Evan
AORN J. 2020 Mar;111(3):315-325. doi: 10.1002/aorn.12885.
Surgical gowns help protect patients from exposure to microorganisms and serve as personal protective equipment for perioperative staff members. Medical textiles, including surgical gowns, are available as reusable and disposable products. Health care facility administrators and leaders who endeavor to use environmentally sustainable practices require current data for decision making. This study analyzed all activities from the extraction of fossil materials from the earth to the end-of-life disposal of reusable and disposable surgical gowns. The researchers included calculations for laundry and wastewater treatment operations and compared the environmental effects of the two surgical gown systems. The study results showed that selection of reusable gowns rather than disposable gowns reduced natural resource energy consumption (64%), greenhouse gas emissions (66%), blue water consumption (83%), and solid waste generation (84%). Perioperative nurses can use this information to assist facility leaders as they make informed decisions related to gown system selection.
手术衣有助于保护患者免受微生物感染，并作为围手术期工作人员的个人防护装备。包括手术衣在内的医用纺织品有可重复使用和一次性使用两种产品。致力于采用环境可持续做法的医疗保健机构管理人员和领导者需要最新数据来进行决策。本研究分析了从地球开采化石材料到可重复使用和一次性手术衣报废处理的所有活动。研究人员纳入了洗衣和废水处理操作的计算，并比较了两种手术衣系统的环境影响。研究结果表明，选择可重复使用的手术衣而非一次性手术衣可减少自然资源能源消耗（64%）、温室气体排放（66%）、蓝水消耗（83%）和固体废物产生（84%）。围手术期护士可以利用这些信息，协助机构领导者做出有关手术衣系统选择的明智决策。
