Putting on and removing personal protective equipment

When assisting with client care, personal protective equipment, or PPE for short, should be used to avoid transmission of infection to and from the client.

PPE should be used when there’s risk of exposure to blood; all types of body fluids, secretions, and excretions; open skin lesions or rashes and mucosal surfaces; and possibly contaminated items or surfaces. Now, the PPE you need to wear can vary from situation to situation.

This includes wearing non-sterile gloves, a waterproof gown if there’s a possibility that your clothes might get contaminated, protective mask or respirator to protect you from inhaling microbes through your nose or mouth, and goggles or a face shield for procedures where splashes of body fluids are likely not all the pieces are needed in every situation

Now, there are some general considerations that must be undertaken by the nursing assistant when putting on or removing PPE. First, don’t forget to wash your hands before putting on PPE and after removing it.

Keep in mind that PPE items can come in various sizes, so make sure you pick the right size. Remember to check that your PPE is intact and without any damage before putting it on.

If your gloves get torn or become heavily contaminated, take them off, wash your hands, and put a new pair on.

Once you have your PPE on, be sure to keep your hands away from your face and avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily.

Finally, PPE should be used only once so remember to change all PPE between clients. Make sure you remove PPE at the doorway before leaving the client’s room, except for the mask or respirator.

Let's get started. The first item we put on is the gown, which can be disposable or non-disposable.

The opening of the gown should be at the back while, at the front, the gown should fully cover your torso from the neck to knees as well as the entirety of the arms. Make sure your gown is securely fastened to your body with the drawstrings snug.

The next step is putting on a mask or respirator to cover the nose and mouth from respiratory droplets and airborne particles. To put on a mask correctly, place it on your face with the stiff bendable edge on the top.

Next, masks may have ear loops, ties, or straps. If your mask has ear loops, place them around each ear.

If your mask has ties, first tie the top ones behind your head and then tie the bottom ones behind the nape of your neck.

If your mask has straps, first pull the top strap over your head so that it rests over the crown of your head and then pull the bottom strap so that it rests at the nape of your neck.

Finally, mold the stiff bendable edge to fit your nose and extend the mask to fit above your nose and under your chin.

One additional tip! If you wear prescription eyeglasses, there are two main ways to prevent them from fogging up.

The first way is to simply fold the top fourth of the mask before wearing it. The second way is to put a tissue at the top of the mask or respirator over the bridge of your nose.

Now, when you need to protect against more hazardous or infectious aerosols, you should cover your nose and mouth using respirators, like N95 masks, which filter the air before it is inhaled.

You should only use the respirator that has been fit-tested for you because this ensures it’ll form a complete seal around your nose and mouth.

To put on the respirator, place it on your face, pull the bottom strap around your head, and rest it below your ears.

Then, the top strap goes on the crown of your head. Finally, mold the nose piece to fit your nose.

Speaking of eyes, you can wear eye protection, like goggles or a face shield. Eye protection can even be worn over prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. Now, make sure you have the right fit.

Eye protection should stay in place when you move your head front-to-back and side-to-side, and there shouldn’t be any uncomfortable pressure points on the nose, the side of the head, or behind the ears.