Self-gowning in OR

[degoo_]

I have to admit- when I'm asked to gown up myself in the OR I have on several occasions improperly unfolded the gown and end up wasting it forcing the scrub nurse to get another one and then sometimes even help.
Is there some simple unfolding technique I'm missing here?

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[Guile]

There are two "pockets" on the sides of the gown. Reach in with your fingers grab the inside. Now that you have it held tightly, you can pull it apart, and most of it should unfold in front of you. The parts that you are holding in your fingers are the openings to the arms, so slide your arms in far enough that the circulator can velcro you closed in the back around your neck. Then you should be good to go. Gowning yourself is the pits. I rarely have to do it, for which I'm glad.

 

[PenguinHead]

It's really easy with the gowns we have here. Have someone show you how to do it properly, and it shouldn't be a problem after that. Like the above poster said, the last fold of the gown makes it so the openings of the sleeves are right on the outer edges. You stick your hands in and spread your arms apart and the whole gown will unfold in front of you.

 

[bambi]

In the UK we all do it all by ourselves every time, it's not an issue, the way you do it looks so much cooler though! Just grab a bit of the inside, stand away from everything and shake it open.

 

[J ROD]

One leg at a time....

 

[cpants]

One leg at a time....

HAHA! Yeah, it's really not that hard. Grab a circulating nurse or scrub tech at some point and ask them to show you. Or just snag a gown and give it a practice run by yourself. It is actually really easy.

 

[wickl087]

Grab it from the very top and let it fall out in front of you and away from your body. Don't let it touch the ground, of course, then from there figure out which directions your arms will go in.

I fold gowns all day in the simulation center I work in. One of the surgeons who comes in to teach the medical students says not to worry about it too much as long as you grab the very top and don't touch too much of the gown.

 

[penguin24]

The gown usually isn't the hard part for me, it's putting on those darn gloves while keeping your hands inside the sleeves of the gown that is the real tricky part

One time I was 1st assisting a surgeon, and afterward the surgeon told the scrub nurse, "This guy did a good job assisting me, most med students struggle w/ a surgery like this". Then the scrub nurse said, "Most med students struggle w/ putting on their gloves".

 

[Guile]

The gown usually isn't the hard part for me, it's putting on those darn gloves while keeping your hands inside the sleeves of the gown that is the real tricky part

One time I was 1st assisting a surgeon, and afterward the surgeon told the scrub nurse, "This guy did a good job assisting me, most med students struggle w/ a surgery like this". Then the scrub nurse said, "Most med students struggle w/ putting on their gloves".

Agreed. I can't hardly get those gloves on without my hand slipping out. The scrub techs make it look so easy. Thankfully I rarely have to self glove.

 

[bambi]

Agreed. I can't hardly get those gloves on without my hand slipping out. The scrub techs make it look so easy. Thankfully I rarely have to self glove.

Just like most things, the more you do it, the easier it is and the quicker you get, don't worry about it.

 

[Guile]

Just like most things, the more you do it, the easier it is and the quicker you get, don't worry about it.

At least in the US, we rarely have to self-glove. I've done it probably two or three times. I always have a scrub tech to gown and glove. Maybe it's more common in traumas though.

 

[Jolie South]

At least in the US, we rarely have to self-glove. I've done it probably two or three times. I always have a scrub tech to gown and glove. Maybe it's more common in traumas though.

Yea, I made it through all of general surgery without having to self-glove once.

I had a scrub tech yell at me on urology because I didn't know how. The attending didn't seem to think it was a problem and made the guy help me anyways.

Self-gowning on the other hand is something that you should be able to do. Grab the gown carefully from the scrub tech with one hand, put your hands carefully into the "flaps", then let it fall away from you. At this point, the circulator will probably come over to tie you.

 

[kdburton]

you could always just tell the scrub nurse to do her damn job haha

 

[bambi]

At least in the US, we rarely have to self-glove. I've done it probably two or three times. I always have a scrub tech to gown and glove. Maybe it's more common in traumas though.

We always have to 🙁