Balancing comfort and function in textiles worn by medical personnel

Abstract: Wear comfort, including psychological and physiological comfort, is of particular concern to the surgical personnel, whose efficiency needs to be supported rather than impaired. Improvements in protective performance of medical apparel products often are achieved at the expense of comfort, making wearers less likely to comply with universal precaution guidelines. This chapter focuses on issues involved in balancing the comfort and function of textile products worn by medical personnel. The discussion will identify factors which influence the comfort and function of surgical gowns, nursing uniforms, gloves, and masks and consider the needs/concerns of government agencies, researchers, manufacturers and users in guiding comfort improvements.

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