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Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers

Learn more about personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.

Personal Protective Equipment Ppe For Staff

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) helps to protect staff from contracting the virus and therefore is central to both the wellbeing of staff and limiting the onward transmission of the virus to both other patients and colleagues.

The evidence for PPE is briefly considered on the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine’s website.

The appropriate form of PPE varies depending upon the healthcare setting (as shown in this table on Public Health England website). The correct type of PPE must be used by the healthcare staff in specified settings and must be put on correctly (donning) and taken off (doffing) appropriately to minimise the risk of onward transmission.

• For any direct care (within 2 meters) of possible or confirmed cases or for collection of the nasopharyngeal swab(s), wear protective clothing in line with the standard infection control precautions, such as gloves, apron, a fluid-resistant surgical mask (Type IIR) and goggles or visor, and keep exposure to a minimum.

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City St George's, University of London (formerly St George's) online course,

Managing COVID-19 in Primary Care

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• Subject to local risk assessment, PPE may also be indicated for work in settings where there is sustained transmission of covid-19.

• Aprons and gloves are for single use only. A fluid-resistant surgical mask (FRSM) and eye protection can be for single use or used for a full session. A session ends when the healthcare worker leaves the clinical care setting. A mask should be changed if it is moistened, damaged, or soiled. It should be noted that masks become less effective when moistened.

Below is an illustration of the standard PPE which should be worn by primary care staff for face-to-face contact (within 2 meters) with the patient.

Infographic on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in primary care with an image of a doctor dressed in a full-length apron and wearing gloves, standard surgical mask and goggles/visor. The text reads 'For any direct patient care (within 2 meters) and for collection of nasopharyngeal swab(s), use standard PPE. Dispose of PPE as clinical waste after use.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in primary care
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_{© St George’s, University of London}

Wearing PPE

Healthcare staff should follow instructions to put the PPE on (donning) correctly and to remove (doffing) it appropriately. These instructions are based on the guidance from Public Health England.

The diagrams below show this correct procedure.

Infographic of putting on PPE in primary care with a 6 image diagram on performing hand hygiene, putting on an apron, face mask, moulding the metal strap on the mask at the nose, wearing eye protection and putting on gloves.
Putting on personal protective equipment (PPE) in primary care
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_{© St George’s, University of London}