Putting on and removing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Putting on PPE
PPE should be put on before entering the room.
- Keep hands away from face and PPE being worn.
- Change gloves when torn or heavily contaminated.
- The order for putting on is:
- apron
- surgical mask
- eye protection (where required)
The order given above is a practical one; the order for putting on is less critical than the order of removal given below.
Removal of PPE
PPE should be removed in an order that minimises the potential for cross-contamination.
Gloves
- Grasp the outside of the glove with the opposite gloved hand; peel off.
- Hold the removed glove in gloved hand.
- Slide the fingers of the un-gloved hand under the remaining glove at the wrist.
- Peel the glove off and discard appropriately.
Gown
- Unfasten or break ties.
- Pull gown away from the neck and shoulders, touching the inside of the gown only.
- Turn the gown inside out, fold or roll into a bundle and discard.
Eye protection
To remove, handle by headband or earpieces and discard appropriately.
Fluid resistant surgical facemask
- Remove after leaving care area.
- Untie or break bottom ties, followed by top ties or elastic and remove by handling the ties only and discard as clinical waste.
To minimise cross-contamination, the order outlined above should be applied even if not all items of PPE have been used.
Perform hand hygiene immediately after removing all PPE.