Rift Valley University Abichu Campus

Department of Nursing
Lecture of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) and Drapes
For Bsc Students
BY Deribe Hailu (BSc ,and MAHN)
Email: deribehailu41@gmail.com

June. 2022
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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 Objectives
KEY CONCEPTS you will learn:
• What is PPE
• Types of PPE
• How PPE works
• When drapes are effective

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 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• PPE includes: gloves, masks/respirators, eyewear

(face shields, goggles), caps, gowns, aprons, boots
and other items.
• The most effective barriers are made of synthetic
materials that do not allow water or other liquids to
penetrate them.
• These fluid resistance materials are not; however,
widely available because they are expensive.

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Personal Protective Equipment

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 Personal Protective Equipment
 Gloves (all types) have been
shown to reduce the risk of Plastic Apron
infection (cross-
contamination).
 PPE that is fluid-resistant
(e.g., plastic or rubber
aprons) can protect
healthcare workers from
exposure to potentially
contaminated blood or other
body fluids.

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 Masks
• Masks are made from a variety of materials, Should be large
enough to cover the nose, lower face, jaw and facial hair,
• There is no clear guidance available for the efficacy of masks
in the prevention of airborne infections.
• Masks are worn in an attempt to contain moisture droplets
expelled as the health care workers speak, cough or sneeze,
as well as to prevent accidental splashing of the mouth and
face during certain procedures.

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 Masks…..Cont’d
Always ensure masks are:-
• Appropriate for their purpose
• Worn correctly
• Close fitting
• Handled as little as possible
• Changed between patients and operations
• Changed if wet
• Discarded immediately after use

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 Respirators
• Are specialized types of masks, called N95
particulate respirators,
• More expensive than surgical masks
• Recommended for situations in which
filtering inhaled air is deemed important
• They contain multiple layers of filter
material and fit the face tightly.

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 Respirators…Cont’d
• Pay attention to size (Small, medium and
large)
• Place over nose, mouth and chin

• Fit flexible nose piece over nose bridge

• Adjust to fit and check for fit:

Inhale – respirator should collapse
Exhale – check for leakage around face

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Removing a Mask/ Particulate Respirator
• Lift the bottom elastic over
your head first (untie the
bottom)

• Then lift off the top elastic

• Discard

• Don’t touch front of mask

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 cont.…
• The process for removing a particulate respirator is
similar to that for a mask.
• Lift the bottom elastic over the head first.
• Then remove the top elastic.
• This should be done slowly to prevent the respirator
from “snapping” off of the face.
• As you discard the mask, avoid touching the front of
it.

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 Gloves
 Keep nails short

 Select correct type and size

 Insert hands into gloves

 Extend gloves over gown cuffs

to protect the wrists.

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 Cont.…
• The last PPE item that we will discuss is gloves.
• Gloves will be the last PPE item that you don when
preparing to work with a patient.
• Be sure to select the type of glove needed for the task
in the size that best fits you.
• To review from earlier in the session, thick rubber
gloves may be used for cleaning or housekeeping
purposes in a patient’s room.

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 Cont.…
• Clean gloves might be used for general contact in the
room or with the patient, while sterile gloves should
be used when collecting specimens or conducting any
type of medical procedure on the patient.
• Insert each hand into the appropriate glove and adjust
the gloves as needed for comfort and dexterity.

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 Cont.…

• If you are wearing an isolation gown, tuck the

gown cuffs securely under each glove.
• This will provide a continuous barrier
protection for your skin.

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Removing Gloves (1)
 Grasp outside edge near
wrist

 Peel away from hand,

turning glove inside-out

 Hold in opposite gloved

hand

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 Cont.…
• Now let’s focus on how to safely remove each
piece of personal protective equipment in a
way that you avoid contaminating yourself,
others, or the environment.
• We will begin with gloves.
• Using one gloved hand, grasp the outside of
the opposite glove near the wrist.

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 Cont.…

• Pull and peel the glove away from the hand.

The glove should now be turned inside-out,
with the contaminated side on the inside.
• Hold the removed glove in the opposite
gloved hand.

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Removing Gloves (2)

 Slide ungloved
finger under the
wrist of the
remaining glove

 Peel off from inside,

creating a bag for
both gloves

 Decontaminate and
discard
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 Cont.…
• To remove the second glove, slide one or two
fingers of the ungloved hand under the wrist
of the remaining glove.
• Peel the glove off from the inside, creating a
bag for both gloves.
• Discard the gloves in an appropriate waste
container per your health care facility’s
protocol.

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 Footwear
• Footwear is worn to protect feet from injury
by sharps or heavy items that may
accidentally fall on them,

• Sandals or shoes made of soft materials

(cloth) should not be worn,

• Rubber shoes provide more protection, but

they must be kept clean.

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 Drapes
• Are used to create an operative field around an incision,
wrap instruments and other items for sterilization, cover
tables in operating room and keep clients warm during
surgical procedures.
• Types of drapes includes:
– Towel drapes (used for drying hands, squaring off the
operative site and wrapping small items)
– Drapes or lap sheets (used for covering the patient)
– Site drapes (used for minor surgical procedures and have
circular opening)
– Pack wrapper drapes (large drapes that become a table cover
when the sterile instrument pack is opened)
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 Using Drapes

• Do not put sterile or

HLD instruments or Squaring off a Surgical Site

other items on towel

drapes.

• Do not cover wet

towel drapes; replace
them with dry clean
or sterile ones.

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 When Drapes Are Effective

Bacterial Transfer Through Wet Fabric

 Gowns, masks, caps, and surgical drapes made of light-weight

material, such as cotton cloth, provide limited protection to the patient
or healthcare worker when dry and none if the material gets wet due
to “wicking.”

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 Remember

• Once a sterile drape touches the patient’s

skin, it is no longer sterile,

• Do not place new drapes on top of a drape

that has become wet,

• Do not use the patient’s body or the draped

area for placing instruments.
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THANK YOU!!!

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 REFERENCE
• 1. Harkreader H, Hopan M and Thobaben
M(2013)Fundamentals of nursing caring and clinical
judgment 3rd Edition India
• 2. Parry P,(2015) Basic Nursing 9th Edition India
• 3. Jacob A,Rekha R and Tarachand J(2017)Clinical
nursing procedures ;-The art of nursing practice India.
• 4. Perry and Potter (2015) Foundation in Nursing
Theory and Practice 9th Edition USA
• 5. Esther Sirra ,( 2011) , Nursing Process , 2nd ed ,
Elsevir , India
• 6. Potter. etal . (2011), Basic Nursing, 7th ed, Mosby,
India
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