PPE selection, employer obligations, donning and doffing sequence, and respiratory protection
Personal protective equipment is the last line of defense in the hierarchy of controls — but in home care, it is often the most visible and relied-upon safety measure. Selecting the right PPE for each task, using it correctly, and removing it without self-contaminating are skills that directly affect both worker and client safety. This lesson covers the standards and practical techniques that govern PPE use in home health.
PPE selection must be based on the anticipated exposure risk for each specific task. A hazard assessment — either task-specific or agency-wide — determines what PPE is required. In home care, the most common PPE categories are gloves, gowns, masks/respirators, and eye/face protection.
Required for any task involving contact with blood, OPIM, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or contaminated items. Nitrile gloves are preferred for latex-allergic clients or workers. Gloves are task-specific — never reuse or wash for reuse. Change between contaminated and clean tasks on the same client. Remove by peeling inside-out to contain contamination.
Required when clothing may be soiled by blood, OPIM, or other infectious material. Single-use fluid-resistant gowns are standard for procedures with splash or soiling risk (wound irrigation, bathing clients with draining wounds, ostomy care).
Surgical/procedure masks protect against large respiratory droplets and splashes to the mouth and nose. Eye protection (goggles or face shield) is required when splashing to the eyes is possible. N95 respirators are required for airborne precautions (tuberculosis, varicella, measles, suspected COVID-19 in appropriate settings) — they require medical clearance and annual fit testing.
OSHA requires employers to: provide required PPE at no cost to employees, ensure PPE is appropriate for the hazard, maintain PPE in sanitary and reliable condition, train employees on when and how to use PPE, and evaluate the effectiveness of the PPE program. Workers may not be required to purchase their own PPE or be charged for it.
Donning (putting on): perform hand hygiene, gown, mask/respirator, eye protection, gloves. Doffing (removing): remove gloves and gown first (the most contaminated items, handled together when possible), perform hand hygiene, then remove eye protection and mask. The principle: most contaminated items off first, hand hygiene between steps, mask off last to protect against any residual airborne contamination. Never touch the front of a used mask with ungloved hands.
Complete this 5-question quiz with 80% or higher to earn your CEU credit for this lesson.