COVID-19 PPE Use & Education

Please click on the links below to learn more about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

N95 User Seal Check
COVID-19 PPE Grid -PDF Version 15 (as of 12-11-2020)

COVID-19 PPE GRID

What personal protective equipment to wear and when?

It is critical for all of us to apply critical thinking skills in using Standard Precautions, essentially donning PPE that is appropriate for situations in which we anticipate exposure to body fluids and respiratory secretions.

Definitions:
Negative	Negative test this admission
COVID History	Positive test less than 90 days & not in quarantine		Resolution/improvement of symptoms per MS.54 algorithms
PUI- Person Under Investigation	Untested admitted patient for up to 14 days	Pending test on patient with current symptoms		Positive test less than 90 days & new symptoms
Positive COVID-19	Positive test this admission	Strong suspicion of COVID with negative test		Positive test within the last 90 days & on active quarantine
AGP	Aerosol Generating Procedure
*Standard Precautions	For patient contact within 6 feet a N95 and eye protection will be worn. Face shield is preferred.

DOWNLOAD COVID-19 PPE GRID
PDF Version 15 (as of 12-11-2020)

The CDC and Cal-OSHA/OSHA requires certain types of transmission based precautions for different scenarios. Based on these recommendations what follows is a table with appropriate precautions given a particular scenario…scenarios or questions not captured please contact Infection Prevention 624-2471.

Instructions on Mask, Gown, and Eyewear Use:

Instructions for N95 respirator mask Limited Reuse:

N95 masks can be obtained at the unit if not previously received from leadership. Follow the steps below to maintain your N95 respirator mask
Label the N95 respirator with your name.
Prior to any patient contact within 6 feet, any time eye exposure is anticipated from light mist to splash apply a face shield over the N95 mask.
- The face shield is cleaned after actual contact with the patient or their direct environment, when suspected or actually soiled, or upon removal. Clean with a Covid-19 approved disinfectant, if eye irritation exists the face shield can be rinsed with water. After cleaning, store in bag labeled with your name and keep with you.
- Clean hands before donning and immediately after doffing a mask. Also, clean hands each time the N95 respirator is touched or adjusted.
- Use a pair of clean gloves when donning a used N95 respirator and performing a user seal check.

When to replace N95 respirator mask: Discard the N95 respirator as outlined by the most current replacement guidelines and when moist, concerned about contamination, or damaged or contaminated with blood, respiratory or nasal secretions, or other bodily fluids.

Instructions for Gown Single Use:

Gowns are obtained at the unit, use a new gown for each patient interaction.
FABRIC isolation gowns: Positive COVID-19 patient, PUI, special precautions, MRSA nares colonization, Metapneumovirus. Place in laundry hamper after use. If fabric gown is unavailable, use a disposable gown.
DISPOSABLE isolation gowns: when bodily fluids are expected, required for a procedure, receiving wound care, open lesions, weeping abscesses, active infection (i.e. MRSA) in a wound or on skin, diarrheal disease (i.e. Clostridium difficile)

Instructions for Eyewear Single Person Reuse:

A face shield must be worn. May wear goggles if unable to tolerate a face shield.
A face shield or goggles can be obtained at the unit if staff member does not already have one
These items are to be kept by the staff member and reused for themselves until they are damaged, can no longer be cleaned easily or visibility is impaired due to haze.
- If using face shields: Face shields are single staff, multi-use items. The face shield is cleaned after actual contact with the patient or their direct environment, when suspected or actually soiled, or upon removal. Clean with a Covid-19 approved disinfectant, if eye irritation exists the face shield can be rinsed with water. After cleaning, store in bag labeled with your name and keep with you. Save the face shield, replace only when damaged.
- If using goggles: Goggles are single staff, multi-use items. The goggles are cleaned after actual contact with the patient or their direct environment, when suspected or actually soiled, or upon removal. Clean with a Covid-19 approved disinfectant, if eye irritation exists the face shield can be rinsed with water. After cleaning, store in bag labeled with your name and keep with you. Save these goggles, replace only when damaged.

3M Model 1870 – Regular N95 Surgical Respirator

Donning and Doffing of PPE

If on a TAP N GO device and unable to view videos, click HERE

FAQs about Personal Protective Equipment

Q: How is COVID-19 transmitted?

A: COVID-19 virus transmission is most commonly happening during close exposure to a person infected with COVID-19, primarily via respiratory droplets produced when the infected person coughs or sneezes. Droplets can land in the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby or possibly inhaled into the lungs of those in close proximity. The contribution of small respirable particles, sometimes called aerosols or droplet nuclei, to close proximity transmission is currently uncertain. However, airborne transmission person-to-person over long distances is unlikely. (source: CDC)

Q: I am uncertain about the order in which I should remove PPE to prevent exposure?

A: Always remove PPE dirtiest to cleanest. (1) Initially remove your gown & gloves, (2) followed by the face shield or goggles, (3) then your N95 respirator or mask, (4) and lastly perform hand hygiene. (ideally perform hand hygiene between each step)

Q: What do I do if there is no anteroom to the patient care room in which an aerosol producing procedure was performed?

A: You may don your clean PPE prior to going into the room. When leaving the room, remove your gown and gloves (face shield if wearing one) and throw them in the trash inside the room. Exit the room with N95 respirator and goggles (if not wearing a face shield). Remove the N95 respirator and place it in its designated brown bag for re-use. Then remove the goggles and wipe them with a Purple Top disinfectant wipe. Then perform and hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub.