What is the correct order of removing PPE after caring for a resident with a suspected infectious disease?

What is the correct order of removing PPE after caring for a resident with a suspected infectious disease?

• A. Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, remove gown, perform hand hygiene, remove eye/face protection, remove mask, perform final hand hygiene.
• B. Remove mask, remove gloves, remove gown, remove eye protection, perform hand hygiene, final hand hygiene.
• C. Remove gown, remove gloves, remove mask, remove eye protection, hand hygiene, hand hygiene.
• D. Remove eye/face protection, remove mask, remove gloves, remove gown, perform hand hygiene, final hand hygiene.

Answer: (A)

The idea here is to take off contaminated PPE in a way that protects you and others from exposure, cleaning your hands at key points to prevent transferring contaminants. You start by removing the gloves, because they are the most likely to be dirty after patient contact. After taking off the gloves, you perform hand hygiene to clean your hands before handling the rest of the gear. Next you remove the gown, which helps prevent dirty surfaces from contacting your clothing or skin; again you clean your hands to remove any contaminants that may have loosened during removal. Then you remove eye or face protection and finally the mask, since these are worn closest to your mucous membranes and removing them last reduces the chance that contaminated droplets or surfaces touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Finish with a final hand hygiene to ensure hands are clean after all PPE is off. This sequence minimizes cross-contamination and protects both you and residents.

The idea here is to take off contaminated PPE in a way that protects you and others from exposure, cleaning your hands at key points to prevent transferring contaminants. You start by removing the gloves, because they are the most likely to be dirty after patient contact. After taking off the gloves, you perform hand hygiene to clean your hands before handling the rest of the gear. Next you remove the gown, which helps prevent dirty surfaces from contacting your clothing or skin; again you clean your hands to remove any contaminants that may have loosened during removal. Then you remove eye or face protection and finally the mask, since these are worn closest to your mucous membranes and removing them last reduces the chance that contaminated droplets or surfaces touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Finish with a final hand hygiene to ensure hands are clean after all PPE is off. This sequence minimizes cross-contamination and protects both you and residents.