9. THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

 

All healthcare workers should be responsible for ensuring that they are equipped with the appropriate PPE before starting work duties in SARS designated areas. The PPE includes:

 

 

The PPE reduces but does not completely eliminate the risk of transmission. PPE will only be effective if used properly and worn at all times whenever contact is possible.

 

 

Specifically, the following personnel ARE REQUIRED TO use and follow all recommendations on the proper use of PPE when working in the SARS-designated areas within their hospitals:

 

 

 

 

The sequence for putting on and removing the PPE is as follows:

 

PUTTING ON PPE:  Do this in the changing room just before entering

                                      the SARS designated-area.

 

1.       Change from street clothes to hospital scrub suit.

2.       Put on head cover.

3.       Put on shoe covers. Tuck in the bottom of the pants into top ends of shoe cover.

4.       Put on gown.  Wear the gown properly by closing the back with the Velcro or tie-strings.

5.       Put on the impermeable apron.

6.       Put on gloves. Tuck sleeves of gown into the gloves.

7.      Put on goggles and masks

 

REMOVING PPE:  Do this in the changing room before leaving the SARS                    

   designated area.

 

1.       Wash gloved hands with >60% alcohol-based hand wash to remove soilage.

2.       Remove shoe cover.

3.       Remove apron and gown.

4.       Dispose shoe cover, apron, and gown into the proper infectious/yellow biohazard trash bags.

5.       Remove gloves and dispose into trash bins. Take care not to put hands on contaminated outside surface of gloves.

6.       Wash ungloved hands with alcohol-based hand wash.

7.       Remove goggles and put in a receptacle for cleaning before next use.

8.       Remove mask and dispose into an infectious/yellow bag or store in plastic for reuse* (see discussion on Guidelines for N95 below)

9.       Remove cap and dispose.

10.   Wash hands with regular soap and water.

11.   Preferably, take a full bath if with facilities.

12.   Change to street clothes and wash hands before leaving SARS-designated area.

 

Do not leave the SARS-designated area and go to other areas in the hospital wearing the PPE. If the HCW has to leave temporarily the isolation areas, a full change of PPE must take place.

 

Guidelines for the N95 Mask

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The PPE reduces but does not completely eliminate the risk of transmission. PPE will only be effective if used properly and worn at all times whenever contact is possible.

 

 

Specifically, the following personnel ARE REQUIRED TO use and follow all recommendations on the proper use of PPE when working in the SARS-designated areas within their hospitals:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guidelines for Gloves

 

 

 

 

Guidelines for Disposable Gowns

 

 

 

Guidelines for Eye Protection

 

 

 

 

 

Administrative Issues on PPE