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Donning and Doffing PPE With Mask and Eye Protection

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Donning and Doffing PPE With Mask and Eye Protection

Key Points

  • Correct PPE order lowers contamination risk during high-exposure care.
  • Gloves are removed before gown, and hand hygiene is required between key removal steps.
  • Doffing is completed before leaving room to contain contamination.

PPE donning examples with gown glove overlap and face protection setup for splash and transmission risk care Illustration reference: OpenStax Fundamentals of Nursing Ch.10.2.

Equipment

  • Isolation gown
  • Mask
  • Face shield or goggles
  • Gloves
  • Alcohol-based hand sanitizer or handwashing access

Procedure Steps

  1. Verify ordered precaution type, then gather all required PPE before entering care sequence.
  2. Don gown first: orient to back opening, unfold, insert arms, secure neck then waist, and ensure full clothing coverage.
  3. Don mask and then eye protection (face shield or goggles).
  4. If using an N95 respirator, position straps correctly and perform a user-seal check at each donning.
  5. Don gloves last and overlap glove cuffs over gown sleeves.
  6. Complete resident care while maintaining PPE integrity.
  7. Remove gloves first using glove-to-glove, then skin-to-skin technique; if gown ties are in front, untie them before final glove removal.
  8. Remove gown by unfastening ties and pulling away from shoulders while turning contaminated side inward; discard or place reusable gown per policy.
  9. Exit the patient room when policy indicates room-exit doffing for face/respiratory protection.
  10. Perform hand hygiene.
  11. Remove eye protection by the strap/arms without touching the front and place in correct reusable/disposal receptacle per policy.
  12. Remove mask or respirator by ties/straps from behind head without touching the front; do not wear under chin or store in pockets between patients.
  13. Perform final hand hygiene.

Common Errors

  • Removing gown before gloves → increases hand/clothing contamination risk.
  • Touching front of mask or shield during removal → transfers pathogens to face/hands.
  • Skipping hand hygiene between doffing steps → amplifies cross-contamination.
  • Exiting room before safe doffing sequence → spreads contamination beyond isolation zone.

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