Pattern for care: Galena resident creates pattern so health care workers at Midwest Medical Center have protection they need

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arly on in the pandemic, Dr. Ralph Losey, chief medical officer at Midwest Medical Center, knew there was a good chance the hospital might run short of personal protective equipment.

He was particularly concerned about disposable gowns when the supply was diminished after a patient at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community tested positive for the virus. Hospital personnel are also using gowns any time a patient presents with respiratory symptoms.

The hospital hasn’t been able to restock its supply since February.

So, with all that in mind, Losey took measures into his own hands and recruited a neighbor, Jack Kirkby, a former Chicago theater costume designer, to create a simple gown pattern.

And when Losey said simple, he meant simple.

This pattern needed to work for health care workers who would be able to transform sheets of plastic into a gown using a razor knife and transparent tape.

A day after Losey asked Kirkby to help, Kirkby delivered the pattern to the Loseys’ doorstep.

“It’s simplistic,” said Kirkby, who spent the night thinking through the best way to approach the challenge.

Kirkby felt some pressure, he admitted, aware of his friendship with the Loseys and the need to protect healthcare workers at the local level. He also wanted to make sure the pattern was workable for those without any experience sewing.

Kirkby’s concern was that the tape used–he envisioned silver duct tape–to hold the gown together wouldn’t look great, but his fears were calmed when he realized the clear tape didn’t show at all.

As Kirkby sat down to plot his pattern, he realized the roll of plastic he was working with was 9 feet wide and would result in tremendous waste if he cut from top to bottom.

Kirkby instead opted to cut on a fold to save plastic. It worked well.

Losey said that 100 feet of plastic makes 16 gowns, which is one day’s supply if a patient with the virus were to be admitted to the hospital.

“We’ve had to improvise,” said Losey of the homemade plastic gowns. He noted how “horribly” unprepared the U.S. was for a pandemic considering the shortage of protective equipment and the availability of testing.

He said the idea of evaluating a patient without adequate protective gear is unsettling. These gowns help calm nerves.

“It’s really a very nice pattern,” Losey noted, grateful for Kirkby’s skills.

Losey said staff have made about 20 gowns so far. It takes two people just a few minutes to complete one. The gowns can be altered size-wise. Staff have experimented with different types of plastic to find what works best. When the gown is complete, with the gloves over the sleeves, the face shield, mask and head covering, very little is exposed, said Losey.

“I’m glad that I had the opportunity to do it,” said Kirkby.

Losey said Kirkby’s pattern donation and all the donations of masks is remarkable. Many people have donated homemade cloth masks which are being handed out to visitors and patients who arrive without a mask, and construction companies and others have given spare N95 masks as well.

“We are truly grateful to the communities that we serve that have risen to the occasion to help assist Midwest Medical Center with our needs,” said Tracy Bauer, president and CEO. “We have had so many individuals bringing in masks and now gowns. The staff and visitors are so appreciative of every donation.

“The nurses have made several comments about how protected they feel when wearing these gowns. We are truly blessed to be in a rural community during a crisis as everyone has been so supportive.”