The demands on healthcare personnel (HCP) are extraordinary, but the importance of attention to personal protection cannot be underestimated. By way of example, a cluster of 17 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) cases among Canadian HCP in 2003 was studied. Among their findings – 13 of those who fell ill (87 percent) were unsure of the proper order in which personal protective equipment (PPE) should be donned and removed.
The authors concluded that multiple factors were involved in the development of SARS in the HCP studied. Among those factors: high-risk patient-care procedures, inconsistent use of PPE, fatigue and lack of adequate infection control training.1
Infection preventionists are encouraged to remind HCP of the need for vigilance when using PPE. Assessing compliance is a basic, but essential duty. This article reviews the role of Standard Precautions and offers specific guidance on donning and removal of PPE.
The Role of Standard Precautions
According to CDC’s 2004 Guidance for the Selection and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Healthcare Settings, “Standard Precautions are intended to prevent the transmission of common infectious agents to healthcare personnel, patients and visitors in any healthcare setting.” In caring for a patient, Standard Precautions require HCP to assume the presence of an infectious agent in the patient’s blood or body fluids and excretions, other than sweat.4
As a result of that assumption, appropriate precautions should be taken. These include: hand hygiene; and proper donning, use and removal of gloves, gown, mask, eye protection or face shield. Also required is proper handling of equipment or items in the patient environment.
Examples are: wearing gloves during direct patient contact; containing heavily soiled equipment; and properly cleaning and disinfecting or sterilizing reusable equipment before using it on another patient.3
