Donning
Donning is the process of putting on PPE equipment. Proper donning of PPE should be practiced prior to the treatment of any patients1 for which PPE is deemed necessary. Donning entails a series of steps that must be performed in a specific order and with care to prevent unnecessary exposure to infectious agents during interactions with patients. The process should always occur at a safe distance of the patient.
Depending on the PPE elements to be donned, the steps involved may vary; however, the order of steps never changes.
How to Don PPE for Contact and Droplet Precautions2
Perform hand hygieneTechnique tip:
Be sure to clean all surfaces of hands and wrists2 for at least 20 seconds
Put on gownTechnique tip:
Tie the gown tightly to limit neck exposure
Put on mask
must completely cover chin2
Put on eye protection
Put on glovesTechnique tip:
Pull/hold the cuffs of your gown while putting on gloves to prevent arms, wrist, or hand exposure
must cover cuffs (wrists) of gown2
The same order of steps is used when donning PPE for scenarios without contact and droplet precautions; however, there will be fewer PPE elements to put on.