VA and CDC offer different protocols
When removing personal protective equipment, it's important for health care workers to realize that the gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles are contaminated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) have slightly different protocols, but both are designed to prevent health care workers from becoming ill from contaminated PPE.
In its campaign, "Infection: Don't Pass It On," (www.publichealth.va.gov/InfectionDontPassItOn) the VHA recommends the following steps to remove PPE:
1. Remove gloves. Peel off one glove by turning inside out. Place fingers inside cuff of other glove and pull off, inside out.
2. Remove gown. Be careful not to touch the front, contaminated area. Untie all strings at the back of gown, slide hands under inside back edges at the neck and pull off, turning inside out and rolling gown as it is removed. Discard in appropriate receptacle.
3. Decontaminate hands. Use an alcohol-based hand rub or antimicrobial soap.
4. Put on clean pair of gloves.
5. Remove face shield and/or goggles. Avoid touching front and contact with eyes.
6. Remove head cover. Remove by inserting fingers under elastic to lift off head.
7. Remove respirator. Remove by straps. Avoid touching front and contact with eyes.
8. Remove gloves and decontaminate hands.
(The poster is available at www.publichealth.va.gov/InfectionDontPassItOn/files/print_pdf/ppe02-clinical.pdf.)
CDC recommends the following sequence for removing PPE:
Except for respirator, remove PPE at doorway or in anteroom. Remove respirator after leaving patient room and closing the door.
1. Gloves. Outside of gloves is contaminated. Grasp outside of glove with opposite gloved hand. Peel off. Hold removed glove in gloved hand. Slide fingers of ungloved hand under remaining glove at wrist. Peel glove off over first glove. Discard gloves in waste container.
2. Goggles or face shield. Outside of goggles or face shield is contaminated. To remove, handle by headband or ear pieces. Place in designated receptacle for reprocessing or in waste container.
3. Gown. Gown front and sleeves are contaminated. Unfasten ties. Pull away from neck and shoulders, touching inside of gown only. Turn gown inside out. Fold or roll into a bundle and discard.
4. Mask or respirator. Front of mask/respirator is contaminated DO NOT TOUCH! Grasp bottom, then top ties or elastics and remove. Discard in waste container.
Perform hand hygiene immediately after removing all PPE.
(The CDC poster is available at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/pdf/ppeposter1322.pdf.)
When removing personal protective equipment, it's important for health care workers to realize that the gowns, gloves, masks, and goggles are contaminated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) have slightly different protocols, but both are designed to prevent health care workers from becoming ill from contaminated PPE.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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