infection control
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) — Donning
Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects you from contact with blood, body fluids and germs.
9 steps4 criticalLimit 3 minAlways tested
Steps
- 1Critical stepCheck the type of precautions required and gather the PPE you need
- 2Critical stepPerform hand hygiene
- 3Put on the gown first, covering your torso from neck to knees and your arms to the end of your wrists, wrapping around the back
- 4Critical stepFasten the gown at the back of the neck and at the waist
- 5Put on the mask or respirator: secure the ties or bands, fit the flexible band to the bridge of your nose, and fit it snug to your face and below your chin
- 6If you are wearing a respirator, perform a fit-check
- 7Critical stepPut on goggles or a face shield over your face and eyes, and adjust to fit
- 8Put on gloves last, pulling them over the cuffs of the gown
- 9Use safe work practices: keep your hands away from your face, limit the surfaces you touch, and change gloves if they tear or become heavily contaminated
What graders are watching for
Tips
- The CDC donning order is gown, mask or respirator, goggles or face shield, then gloves.
- The type of PPE depends on the level of precautions (standard, contact, droplet or airborne), so check the precautions first.
- Change gloves when they are torn or heavily contaminated; OSHA says replace disposable gloves when contaminated, torn or compromised and never wash them for reuse.
Common mistakes
- Putting gloves on before the gown.
- A mask that does not cover the nose and chin.
- Gloves that leave the gown wrists exposed.
- Forgetting hand hygiene before starting.
Practice this skill
Practise the sequence in the app with critical-step highlighting and a rationale for each step.
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Sources and how we check them: How we verify.