Use of personal protective equipment and N95 respirator

Gowning and de-gowning

Equipment

• Surgical mask or N95 respirator
• Protective eyewear (face shield or eye shield)
• Cap
• Disposable gown
• Gloves

Gowning

Put on surgical mask, protective eyewear, cap, gown and gloves, as necessary.

Surgical mask

• Identify the pattern of the mask with the appropriate side facing outward before application.
• Secure mask on head with ties or elastic loops to ears.
• Spread folds to cover nose, mouth and chin completely.
• Press and mould the adjustable metal plate over nose bridge bilaterally and simultaneously to fit mask tightly.

Protective eyewear (goggles / eye / face shield)

• Ensure the protective device is well fitted to the face and cover eye or face completely as needed.

Cap

• Cover the head, ears and hair completely with the cap.

Gown

• Select appropriate type and size of gown.
• Tie gown securely at neck and either side of the waist.
• Cover the front and back clothing completely with the gown.

Gloves

• Select appropriate size of clean gloves.
• Pull gloves to cover lower end of the sleeves of gown.

Degowning

• Remove gloves first.
• Take off gloves one by one by grasping the outside edge near wrist with one hand, and peel the glove away from hand to turn glove inside out.
• Hold the removed glove in opposite gloved hand.
• Insert fingers of the ungloved hand inside the cuff of the remaining glove, and peel off from inside creating a bag for both gloves.
• Discard into appropriate container.

Perform hand washing.

• Remove gown.
• Unfasten the ties over neck with both hands and peel gown slightly away from neck and shoulders.
• Unfasten the ties over waist with hand on the same side. Then remove gown without touching its outside surface by crossing one hand over to the opposite side and grapping the inside surface of gown at the collar with fingers to remove the sleeve and gown together by rolling the contaminated outside surface inward.
• Use ungowned arm and hand to grasp the gown from the inside surface and move arm out of the remaining sleeve by turning the contaminated outside toward inside.
• Fold or roll the contaminated side of gown inward into a bundle gently.
• Discard into appropriate container.

Perform hand washing.

• Remove cap.
• Slip fingers of both hands inside the cap and lift it at the sides simultaneously.
• Roll the contaminated outside inward with both hands and remove cap from the sideway of head.

Repeat hand washing.

• Remove eyewear.
• Grasp ear-pieces or head-piece firmly with both hands, lift device away from face.

Repeat hand washing.

• Remove mask.
• Unfasten the bottom then top ties for mask with ties, or lift earloops away from ears with both hands.
• Fold contaminated outside toward inside, then discard.

Perform hand washing.

Use of N95 respirator

1. Cup the respirator in your hand, with the nosepiece at your fingertips, allowing the handbands to hang freely below your hand.

2. Position the respirator under your chin with the nosepiece up. Pull the top strap over your head resting it high at the top back of your head. Pull the bottom strap over your head and position it around the neck below the ears.

3. Place your fingertips from both hands at the top of the metal nosepiece. Using two hands, mold the nose area to the shape of your nose by pushing inward while moving your fingertips down both sides of the nosepiece. Pinching the nosepiece using one hand may result in improper fit and less effective respirator performance. Use two hands.

4. Perform a User Seal Check prior to each wearing. To check the respirator-to-face seal, place both hands completely over the respirator and exhale. Be careful not to disturb the position of the respirator. If air leaks around nose, readjust the nosepiece as described in step 3. If air leaks at the respirator edges, work the straps back along the sides of your head. If you cannot achieve proper seal, do not enter the isolation or treatment area. See your supervisor.

Removal Instructions

See step 2 of Fitting Instructions and cup respirator in hand to maintain position on face. Pull bottom strap over head. Still holding respirator in position, pull top strap over head and remove respirator.

Fit Test