Personal protective equipment is a shield that protects both healthcare workers and patients and should be applied and removed in the correct sequence to avoid cross-contamination. Donning involves putting on the required apparel before patient contact and must be performed in the following order; hand hygiene, gown, mask, eye or face protection, and gloves. When doffing, hand hygiene must be performed after taking off each item; starting with gloves, eye or face protection, gown and mask. If the proper procedure is not followed, blood, body substances, and other potentially infectious material could be transferred to both healthcare workers and patients.
PPE Donning Sequence
1. Gown
- Fully cover torso from neck to knees, arms to end of wrists, and wrap medical gown around the back
- Fasten in back of neck and waist
2. Mask or Respirator
- Secure ties or elastic bands of face mask/respirator at middle of head and neck
- Fit flexible band to nose bridge
- Fit snug to face and below chin
- Fit-check respirator
3. Goggles or Face Shield
- Place over face and eyes and adjust to fit
4. Gloves
- While holding the top edge of the cuff, carefully insert hand into the first glove and don
- Use the folded fingers of the gloved hand to gently ease your other hand into the glove
- Extend both gloves to cover wrists of gown
PPE Doffing Sequence
1. Gloves
- Grasp outside of glove with opposite gloved hand and peel off
- Hold removed glove in gloved hand and slide fingers of hand under remaining glove at wrist
- Peel glove off over first glove and discard gloves in waste container
2. Goggles or Face Shield
- To remove, handle by headband or ear pieces for goggles and/or face shield
- Place in designated receptacle for reprocessing or in waste container
3. Gown
- Unfasten ties and pull away from neck and shoulders touching inside of gown only
- Turn medical gown inside out
- Fold or roll into a bundle and discard in waste container
4. Mask or Respirator
- Front of face mask/respirator is contaminated and should not be touched
- Grasp bottom and top ties or elastics of face mask for removal
- Discard in waste container
