Personal protective equipment (PPE) is designed to protect healthcare workers from illness or injury from workplace hazards and prevent the spread of pathogens. Common types of PPE used in healthcare settings include gloves, masks, gowns, eye protection, and respirators. PPE should be worn when exposed to blood, body fluids, secretions or contaminated materials, and removed properly after use to avoid spreading contamination. Healthcare workers must be trained on appropriate PPE use, including proper donning and doffing techniques, to safely protect themselves and prevent the spread of infection.
2. Personal Protective Equipment Definition
• PPE is designed to protect you from illness, disease, or injury
resulting from workplace related hazards. It also helps to
prevent the spread of harmful pathogens to others.
• Personal protective equipment, or PPE, as defined by the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is
“specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for
protection against infectious materials.” PPE Use in
Healthcare Settings
3. When Not to Use PPE
• Wearing in public areas
• Failure to discard after use
• Wearing too many
• Failure to remove gloves after each task
4. Types of PPE used in Healthcare
Some types of PPE you may be familiar with in the healthcare
setting include:
• Gloves
• Masks Head
• Covers Shoes
• Gowns and aprons
• Eye protection and Face shields
• Lead apron, for radiation exposures
• The N95 and powered air purifying respirator
5. Gloves
Gloves are the most commonly used type of PPE.
Wearing gloves protects your hands from exposure
to infectious materials. You must always wear
gloves when at risk for exposure to blood , body
fluids, secretions, excretion, and contaminated
materials . You must also wear gloves before
touching mucous membranes and non-intact skin. If
you have non-intact skin (such as cuts or scrapes)
on your hands , you must wear gloves when making
contact.
6. Gowns
• Gowns protect your skin and clothing
from exposure to potentially infections
materials. You must wear a gown during
procedures and care activities that are
likely to generate splashes or sprays of
blood, body fluids, secretions or
excretions. A clean, non-sterile gown is
adequate for protection against these
substances.
7. Masks, face shields and eye protection
• Masks, face shields and eye protection ( such
as safety glasses ) protect your face
including mucous membranes of eyes, nose
and mouth. You must wear a mask and eye
protection or a face shield during procedures
and activities that are likely to generate
splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids,
secretions and excretions.
• Wearing a mask protects you from pathogens
transmitted through the air. Common
examples of diseases transmitted through the
air or in droplets of saliva include
tuberculosis, influenza, meningitis and
measles.
8. How to Don a Gown
• Select appropriate type and size
• Opening should be in the back
• Secure at neck and waist
9. How to Don a Mask
• Place over nose, mouth and chin
• Fit flexible nose piece over nose bridge
• Secure on head with ties or elastic
• Adjust to fit
10. How to Don Gloves
• Don gloves last
• Select correct type and size
• Insert hands into gloves
• Extend gloves over isolation gown cuffs
11. How to Safely Use PPE
• Keep gloved hands away from face
• Avoid touching or adjusting other PPE
• Remove gloves if they become torn; perform hand hygiene
before donning new gloves
