What is the correct sequence for doffing PPE after patient care?

• A. Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, remove gown, perform hand hygiene, remove eye protection, wash hands.
• B. Remove gloves, remove gown, remove eye protection, perform hand hygiene, wash hands, perform hand hygiene.
• C. Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, remove eye protection, remove gown, wash hands, perform hand hygiene.
• D. Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, remove gown, wash hands, remove eye protection, perform hand hygiene.

Answer: (A)

Doffing PPE in a way that minimizes self-contamination relies on cleaning hands between each removal and removing items from most contaminated to least contaminated. After you take off the gloves, perform hand hygiene so you don’t transfer contaminants to the gown when you remove it. Then remove the gown and again clean your hands to prevent spreading anything from the gown to the next item. Next, remove eye protection and do a final hand hygiene to ensure your hands are clean before touching other surfaces or your face. The sequence ends with washing your hands, giving you a clean, residue-free completion.

This approach helps prevent transferring contaminants from one piece of PPE to another or to your skin and mucous membranes. Other sequences either skip the hand hygiene between steps or remove items out of order, which increases the risk of self-contamination.