Removing Personal Protective Equipment

Removing Personal Protective Equipment

Equipment
■ Following CDC recommendations, and depending on the organism and level of precaution, you will usually be wearing some combination of:
■ Gloves.
■ Gown.
■ Mask.
■ Eye protection.
■ In certain situations, you may be wearing:
■ Hair covers.
■ Shoe covers (e.g., when full barrier precautions are needed).

Key Points
■ Be Safe! Remove the PPE at the doorway before leaving the patient’s room, or in an anteroom.
■ Be Safe! Avoid contaminating self, others, or the environment when removing equipment.
■ Considered contaminated: front areas, sleeves, mask, and gloves of the PPE (as well as head and shoe covers if you are wearing them).
■ Considered clean: the inside of the gown, gloves, the ties on the mask, and ties at the back of the gown (as well as the inside of the head and shoe covers if you are wearing them).
■ The CDC sequence for removing PPEs is:
■ Always remove gloves first.
■ Then take off the face shield or goggles.
■ Take off the gown next.
■ Remove the mask or respirator.
■ [The CDC does not specify, but if wearing shoe covers, remove them last.]
■ Perform hand hygiene before leaving the room.

Documentation
■ Removal of PPE is assumed and does not require documentation.