FRIENDLY FACE The FaceView Mask is designed to let patients to see more of their caregiver's face, improving communication and creating a deeper connection, the inventor says.

Clear Facemask
A See-Through Surgical Mask

If wearing a surgical mask makes you feel like a masked bandit instead of a loving caregiver, a new surgical mask with a clear plastic covering that lets others see your mouth might be the thing for you.

"When you're a patient, you hate to feel like your caregiver is indifferent," says Jeanne Hahne, RN, inventor of the FaceView Mask. "This makes it feel like there's so much more of a connection."

Ms. Hahne says the clear mask lets patients see caregivers' emotions and helps create a "therapeutic bond." The mask, which fits like a standard mask, is more than a way for healthcare workers to flash patients a smile. Ms. Hahne says the FaceView can also help to improve communication among your surgical team. It may, for example, make it easier for your nurses to understand when a surgeon asks for a medication or instrument.

"Why do we have our faces covered?" asks Ms. Hahne. "I'm hoping for the new mask standard."

Ms. Hahne is seeking funding to complete the project, and hopes to get the mask approved by the FDA and on the market by May 2015.

— Kendal Gapinski