What is the first step the nurse should take when applying personal protective equipment (PPE) before patient care?

The first step the nurse should take when applying personal protective equipment (PPE) before patient care is to perform hand hygiene. This action is critical as it significantly reduces the risk of transmitting infections to both the healthcare provider and the patient. Hand hygiene removes microorganisms from the hands and sets a clean foundation for donning PPE.

Performing hand hygiene before putting on any form of PPE ensures that the equipment remains uncontaminated, which is essential for protecting both staff and patients. Even if the nurse is wearing gloves later, those gloves could become contaminated during the PPE donning process if hand hygiene is not done first. Establishing this practice at the beginning of the PPE process is vital in infection control protocols in healthcare settings.

Other steps in the donning process, such as putting on the gown or gloves, should follow after hand hygiene to maintain the integrity of protective measures. The sequence of putting on PPE is also designed to prevent exposure to pathogens and ensure effective protection during patient care activities.