PPE Donning and Doffing: Introduction, Requirements, Procedure

PPE Donning and Doffing: Introduction, Requirements, Procedure and Application

Introduction of PPE Donning and Doffing

PPE stands for personal protective equipment. Definition according to OSHA( Occupational Safety and Health Administration)-“PPE is specialized clothing or equipment, worn by an employee for protection against infectious materials.” It includes gloves, gowns, shoe covers, head covers, masks, respirators, eye protection, face shields, and goggles. PPE donning means putting on and PPE doffing means taking off or removing PPE. PPE donning and doffing is a very important method in health care set up for health care workers to save yourself and surrounding to save from infectious materials.

Requirements for PPE Donning and Doffing

Requirements for PPE donning and doffing are totally depending on the types of PPE used in healthcare settings. Common requirements are as follows-

PPE set that contains gloves, gowns, shoe covers, head covers, masks, respirators, eye protection, face shields, and goggles.
70 % ethanol
Adhesive tapes
Waste bins
Scissor
Scrubs

Procedure of PPE Donning and Doffing

Sequence of Donning

Perform hand hygiene:
Put on shoe covers (if applicable)
Put on gown: Purpose of use
• Material
– Natural or man-made
– Reusable or disposable
– Resistance to fluid penetration
• Clean or sterile: Select appropriate type and size
• Opening is in the back
• Secure at neck and waist
• If a gown is too small, use two gowns
– Gown 1 ties in front
– Gown 2 ties in back
Put on mask/respirator (if applicable): Masks – protect nose and mouth
– Should fully cover nose and mouth and prevent fluid penetration Purpose –protect from inhalation of infectious aerosols (e.g. Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
• PPE types for respiratory protection
– Particulate respirators
– Half or full-face elastomeric respirators
– Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR): Using mask procedure– Place over nose, mouth, and chin
• Fit flexible nose piece over the nose bridge
• Secure on the head with ties or elastic
• Adjust to fit: How to Don a Particulate Respirator:
• Select a fit-tested respirator
• Place over nose, mouth, and chin
• Fit flexible nose piece over the nose bridge
• Secure on the head with elastic
• Adjust to fit
• Perform a fit check –
– Inhale – respirator should collapse
– Exhale – check for leakage around the face
Put on eye protection (if applicable): Goggles – protect eyes
– Should fit snuggly over and around eyes
– Personal glasses are not a substitute for goggles
– Antifog feature improves clarity Face shields – protect face, nose, mouth, and eyes
– Should cover the forehead, extend below the chin and wrap-around side of the face: How to Don Eye and Face Protection
• Position goggles over eyes
and secure to the head using
the earpieces or headband
• Position face shield over the face
and secure on the brow with
headband
• Adjust to fit comfortably
Put on gloves: Purpose – patient care, environmental
services, other
• Glove material – vinyl, latex, nitrile, other
• Sterile or nonsterile
• One or two pair
• Single-use or reusable: How to use gloves
• Don gloves last
• Select correct type and size
• Insert hands into gloves
• Extend gloves over isolation gown cuffs

Sequence of Doffing

Remove shoe covers (if applicable) without touching contaminated parts.
Remove gloves:
• Grasp outside edge near the wrist
• Peel away from hand, turning glove inside-out
• Hold in an opposite gloved hand and slide an ungloved finger under the wrist of the remaining glove
• Peel off from inside, creating a bag for both gloves
• Discard
Remove gown: Unfasten ties
• Peel gown away from neck and shoulder
• Turn contaminated outside toward the inside
• Fold or roll into a bundle
• Discard
Perform hand hygiene: Use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Remove eye protection like goggles, face shield (if applicable): Grasp ear or headpieces with ungloved hands
• Lift away from the face
• Place in the designated receptacle for reprocessing or disposal
Remove mask/respirator (if applicable): Removing a Mask
• Untie the bottom, then top, tie
• Remove from face
• Discard and Removing a Particulate Respirator:
• Lift the bottom elastic over your head first
• Then lift off the top elastic
• Discard
Perform hand hygiene: Perform hand hygiene immediately after removing PPE.
– If hands become visibly contaminated during PPE removal, wash hands before continuing to remove PPE
• Wash hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub.
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings: Ensure that hand hygiene facility are available at the point needed, e.g., sink or alcohol-based hand rub.

Application of PPE

Improve personnel safety in the healthcare environment through the appropriate use of PPE.
Gloves protect hands.
Gowns or aprons protect skin and/or clothing.
Masks and respirators protect the mouth/nose.
Respirators protect the respiratory tract from airborne infectious agents.
Goggles protect eyes.
Face shields protect the face, mouth, nose, and eyes.

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