3 Personal Protective Equipment
Learn how to select, put on, remove, and dispose of personal protective equipment according to anticipated exposure and required precautions.
Purpose and selection
creates a barrier between a healthcare worker and infectious material. Choose, put on, and remove it according to the task, reasonably anticipated exposure, and required isolation precautions. PPE works alongside—not in place of— and other infection-prevention measures.
Choosing the right protection
Begin with and assess the contact or exposure reasonably expected during the task. Follow facility precautions and select PPE that fits and provides the needed coverage and barrier protection. Use pathogen- and procedure-specific facility instructions when they differ from this general guidance.
Gloves: Wear them when contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, nonintact skin, or potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces is anticipated. Change gloves between patients and when needed between tasks on the same patient. Never wash or reuse disposable gloves.
Gown: Wear one when clothing or exposed skin may contact blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, or other infectious material. Wear a gown and gloves when require them.
Mask and eye protection: Use a mask with goggles, or a face shield, when splashes or sprays could reach the eyes, nose, or mouth. A face shield alone may not provide respiratory protection when respiratory protection is required.
Respirator: Use the respirator specified for the suspected transmission route or procedure. For example, may require a fit-tested N95 or higher-level respirator. Follow required fit-testing and facility procedures.
The anticipated exposure determines the combination: gloves may be sufficient when contact with blood is expected, while a procedure likely to generate splashes may also require a gown, mask, and eye protection.
Putting on PPE
Put on PPE before entering the care area when the precautions require it. A common sequence is:
Perform .
Put on the gown and fasten it so it covers the torso and arms.
Put on the mask or respirator. Secure it and adjust the fit; perform a for a respirator as instructed.
Put on goggles or a face shield.
Put on gloves last, pulling the cuffs over the gown sleeves when appropriate.
Check that items fit, overlap as intended, and leave no gaps. Keep hands away from the face and limit contact with surfaces that are not needed for care.
Removing and disposing of PPE
Treat the outside of used PPE as contaminated. Remove items slowly and touch contaminated surfaces as little as possible. Follow the facility’s posted procedure because the removal order can vary with the PPE combination. One common sequence is:
Gloves: Grasp the outside of one glove with the other gloved hand and peel it off. Slide ungloved fingers under the remaining glove at the wrist, then peel it off over the first glove. Avoid touching glove exteriors with bare hands.
Gown: Unfasten it without touching contaminated areas with bare hands. Pull it away from the body, turning it inside out, and roll it into a bundle without shaking it.
Eye protection: Remove goggles or a face shield by the headband or arms, not by touching the front. Place reusable equipment in the designated container for cleaning and reprocessing; discard disposable items as directed.
Mask or respirator: Handle only the ties or straps and do not touch the front. In some airborne-precaution procedures, remove the respirator after leaving the room and closing the door. Follow the room’s instructions.
Discard disposable PPE in the designated waste container. Place reusable PPE in the designated container for reprocessing. Do not carry contaminated PPE into clean areas.
Perform after removing PPE, and between removal steps if hands become contaminated.
When PPE is compromised
If PPE tears, becomes heavily contaminated, or is removed incorrectly, stop as appropriate. Avoid touching the face or clean surfaces, perform , and follow facility procedures for replacement or exposure reporting.