Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to various barriers used alone or in combination to protect mucous membranes, airways, skin, and clothing from contact with infectious agents.

The type of personal protective barrier selected by healthcare workers in the residential aged care facility depends on the risk assessment.

Consider the risk

The likelihood of exposure to any blood or body fluid

The volume of blood or body fluid likely to be encountered

The possible route of transmission

The type of exposure that could be possible

PPE prevents contact with infectious agents or body fluids by creating a barrier between the healthcare worker and the infectious material.

Gloves protect the hands

Gowns or aprons protect the skin and or clothing

Masks and respirators protect the mouth and nose 

Goggles protect the eyes

Face shields protect the entire face

Gloves

Gloves are an essential component of standard and transmission-based precautions

The glove type used is to be determined by risk assessment

Perform hand hygiene immediately before putting on and after removing gloves

Clinical Employees

Medical examination gloves protect residents and healthcare workers from exposure to infectious agents 

Gloves prevent contamination of healthcare workers' hands and must be worn as a single-use item when

Anticipating direct contact with blood or body fluids, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, and other potentially infectious material

Handling or touching visibly or potentially contaminated care recipient care equipment and environmental surfaces

Do not reuse medical examination gloves or other disposable gloves

Non-clinical Employees

Non-clinical employees may wear re-useable, general-purpose utility gloves when contacting blood or body fluid, handling chemicals, or during any decontamination or cleaning procedure. The extra strength of utility gloves provides improved protection during prolonged manual work or when handling contaminated waste. Utility gloves are to be allocated to the individual employee, washed after use, and thoroughly dried.

Disposable gloves can also be used for non-clinical tasks.

Food Handling

Gloves must be worn during food handling. It is essential to maintain good hand hygiene practices. Vinyl gloves are suitable for food handling.

Proper Use

Discard and change gloves

When torn, punctured, or compromised in any way

Before and after care is provided for a resident

When performing separate procedures on the same resident

Before or on leaving a resident's room

Before writing notes, answering the phone, using the computer, and moving or touching the equipment

Before handling or opening food packets

Always remember

The use of gloves does not replace the need for hand decontamination

Hand wash or apply antibacterial hand rub/sanitiser(ABHR/S) before and after glove use

Gloves (other than utility gloves) are single-use items 

Gloves should be put on before and removed immediately after a procedure

Disposable gloves must not be washed or re-used, apart from utility gloves

When removing gloves, take care not to contaminate the hands 

Gowns and Aprons

Apron or gown selection depends on the degree of risk, including contact with infectious material and the potential for blood and body fluids to penetrate through clothing or skin. The wearing of single-use impermeable long-sleeved gowns or plastic waterproof aprons is a precaution against the soiling of clothes and contamination of the skin with blood, body substances, or infectious organisms.

Single-use plastic aprons are recommended for general use when there is the possibility of sprays, or spills, to protect clothes

Use gowns upon entering the room of any resident requiring contact precautions

Remove aprons and gowns to prevent contamination of clothing or skin

The gown's outer, 'contaminated' side is turned inward, rolled into a bundle, and then discarded into a designated container for waste to contain contamination

Gowns and/or aprons should be

Fluid repellant

Changed between patients

Single-use

Do not wear cloth gowns as they do not provide any protection when caring for residents. New aprons should be stored in an appropriate area away from potential contamination.

Recommended use and characteristics of aprons and gowns:

Type	Recommended Use	Characteristics
Plastic Apron	Worn for general use when there is the risk of sprays, spills, or exposure to blood or body substances during low-risk procedures Worn during contact with the resident is likely fluid	Fluid impervious Single-use, for one procedure or episode of patient care Disposable
Gown	Worn to protect the healthcare workers' exposed body areas and prevent contamination of clothing with blood, body substances, and other potentially infectious material	Fluid impervious Single-use Disposable The choice of sleeve length depends on the procedure, the extent or risk of exposure of the healthcare workers' arms, the volume of body substances likely to be encountered, and the probable time and route of transmission of infectious agents.
Full Body Gown	Worn when there is a risk of contact of the healthcare worker's skin with a resident's broken skin Worn when there is a risk of extensive skin-to-skin contact  Worn when there is the risk of extensive splashing of blood and body substances Worn when there is a risk of contamination by an infectious aerosol microbe	Fluid impervious Single-use Long-sleeved so clothing and exposed upper body areas are protected Is always worn with gloves and other PPE where indicated

Facial Protection

Wear face and eye protection as part of transmission-based precautions.

The mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes are portals of entry for infectious agents, as are other skin surfaces if skin integrity is compromised. Face and eye protection reduce the risk of exposure of healthcare workers to splashes or sprays of blood and body substances. 

Procedures that generate splashes or sprays of blood, body substances, secretions, or excretions require a face shield or a mask worn with protective eyewear.

Masks

Fluid-resistant surgical masks are part of standard precautions; they are loose-fitting, single-use items that cover the nose and mouth. Surgical masks keep splashes or sprays from reaching the mouth and nose of the person wearing them. Surgical masks also protect from respiratory secretions and are worn when caring for residents on droplet precautions.

Use surgical masks when droplet precautions are in place

Use high-filtration P2 masks when airborne precautions are in place

Wear masks

For the protection of the healthcare worker against airborne organisms

When aerosolisation or splattering of blood or body fluids may occur

When attending severely immunocompromised care recipients and there is a risk of transmission of airborne organisms

When dressing extensive wounds or burns

According to the manufacturer's instructions

Masks must

Not be touched by hands while being worn

Never be reapplied after being removed

Be removed as soon as practicable after becoming moist

Not to be worn loosely around the neck

Removed using strings or loops only and discarded as soon as possible after use

Protective Eyewear

Wear protective eyewear or face shields to prevent splashing, splattering, or aerosolisation of body substances into the eyes

Reusable protective eyewear or face shields are to be thoroughly cleaned after use using warm water and neutral detergent, then dried before storage

Protective eyewear is to be worn and fitted according to the manufacturers' instructions

Do not use contact lenses and prescription glasses as protective barriers, as they are ineffective.