On the NCLEX exam, you must know the correct sequence for donning (applying) and doffing (removing) personal protective equipment.
In addition, you must know what types of PPE you must wear for transmission-based precautions, and the different types of PPE.
After reviewing these NCLEX review lecture notes, don’t forget to take the free review quiz on personal protective equipment.
In this NCLEX review, you will learn:
- Key points for Donning and Doffing PPE
- Sequence of Donning and Doffing PPE
- Types of PPE:
- Mask or Respirator
- Goggles or Face Shield
Demonstration on Donning and Doffing Personal Protective Equipment
NCLEX Review for Donning and Doffing PPE
How to select PPE? Select PPE based on what type of patient care you will be providing to the patient. For example, what potential exposures may you experience during patient care? AND is the patient in contact, droplet, or airborne precautions, which requires specific articles of PPE at all times?
Highlights about Donning and Doffing PPE:
- Put on PPE before entering patient’s room
- Once in patient’s room keep hands away from face and don’t touch PPE
- Try to minimize touching unnecessary areas in the patient’s room
- Remove PPE at patient’s doorway or outside the room and perform hand hygiene immediately
- Always, remove respirator (if worn) outside the patient’s room AFTER closing the patient’s door
- During removal of PPE, if at any time your hands become contaminated, perform hand hygiene immediately and then proceed with removal of the other articles of PPE.
Types of PPE:
- Gloves: protects hands from fluids and contaminates
- Goggles or Face Shield: protects your eyes from potential body fluids
- Mask: prevents body fluids from getting into the mouth and nose
- Respirator: prevents germs, specifically from airborne diseases, from getting into lungs
- Gown: prevents body fluids from getting onto the clothing
Sequence for Donning PPE
First: WASH HANDS
Then Don: Gown, Mask or Respirator, Goggles or Face Shield, Gloves
- Gown: pick the right size and tie it to fit appropriately
- Mask: adjust nose piece over nose to make sure it covers the nose, mouth, and chin…make sure it fits just right because you can’t touch it while in the patient’s room because it will become contaminated.
- Respirator: make sure your employer has fitted you for a mask (usually performed annually) and perform a seal check based on the manufacturer’s instructions after donning the mask (watch the video for this demonstration).
- Goggles or Face Shield: make sure they fit snugly and cover eyes (goggles)
- Gloves: pick right size and tuck the gown’s cuffs under the gloves for extra protection
Sequence for Doffing PPE
Know areas that are “clean” vs “dirty”:
- Clean areas (you CAN touch while removing): the inside and back of the gown, gown’s ties, inside of the gloves, ear pieces/straps of mask/goggles/respirator/face shield
- Dirty area (you CAN’T touch while removing): outside the front of the gloves, gown (includes sleeves), and outside of the mask, face shield, goggles, respirator
First Doff: Gloves, Goggles or Face Shield, Gown, Mask or Respirator
Last: WASH HANDS***
***If you hands become contaminated at ANY point while removing an article of PPE, stop and perform hand hygiene and then proceed with the removal of the other articles of PPE.
- Gloves: grab the cuff of one glove and peel off and place the glove in the gloved hand. Then, insert the index finger of the un-gloved hand underneath the cuff of the gloved hand and peel off the glove.
- Goggles or Face Shield: remove at the straps and discard
- Gown: untie the gown (remember the ties and back of gown are clean), peel the gown away at the neck and shoulders and roll it inside out to form a bundle and discard
- Mask or Respirator: Remove at straps (please watch the video to learn how to properly remove a respirator) and discard.
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