Using Personal Protective Equipment

Goal: The transmission of microorganisms is prevented.

1. Check medical record and nursing plan of care for type of precautions and review precautions in infection control manual.

2. Plan nursing activities before entering patient’s room.

3. Perform hand hygiene.

4. Provide instruction about precautions to patient, family members, and visitors.

5. Put on gown, gloves, mask, and protective eyewear, based on the type of exposure anticipated and category of isolation precautions.

a. Put on the gown, with the opening in the back. Tie gown securely at neck and waist.
b. Put on the mask or respirator over your nose, mouth, and chin. Secure ties or elastic bands at the middle of the head and neck. If respirator is used, perform a fit check. Inhale; the respirator should collapse. Exhale; air should not leak out.
c. Put on goggles. Place over eyes and adjust to fit. Alternately, a face shield could be used to take the place of the mask and goggles.
d. Put on clean disposable gloves. Extend gloves to cover the cuffs of the gown.

6. Identify the patient. Explain the procedure to the patient. Continue with patient care as appropriate. Remove PPE

7. Remove PPE: Except for respirator, remove PPE at the doorway or in an anteroom. Remove respirator after leaving the patient room and closing door.
a. If impervious gown has been tied in front of the body at the waistline, untie waist strings before removing gloves.
b. Grasp the outside of one glove with the opposite gloved hand and peel off, turning the glove inside out as you pull it off. Hold the removed glove in the remaining gloved hand. Excellent Satisfactory Needs Practice


c. Slide fingers of ungloved hand under the remaining glove at the wrist, taking care not to touch the outer surface of the glove.
d. Peel off the glove over the first glove, containing the one glove inside the other. Discard in appropriate container.
e. To remove the goggles or face shield: Handle by the headband or ear pieces. Lift away from the face. Place in designated receptacle for reprocessing or in an appropriate waste container.
f. To remove gown: Unfasten ties, if at the neck and back. Allow the gown to fall away from shoulders. Touching only the inside of the gown, pull away from the torso.
Keeping hands on the inner surface of the gown, pull from arms. Turn gown inside out. Fold or roll into a bundle and discard.
g. To remove mask or respirator: Grasp the neck ties or elastic, then top ties or elastic and remove. Take care to avoid touching front of mask or respirator. Discard in waste container. If using a respirator, save for future use in the designated area.

8. Perform hand hygiene immediately after removing all PPE.