At what point should you wear gloves according to PPE donning steps?

Wearing gloves is a crucial part of personal protective equipment (PPE) protocol, especially in caregiving and healthcare settings, as it serves to prevent the transfer of infectious materials between the caregiver and the patient or environment. In the sequence of donning PPE, the gloves should be put on after the isolation gown has been worn. This is because the gown provides a barrier to the body and should cover the arms and torso, creating a protective layer before handling gloves.

If gloves were to be put on before the gown, there is a risk that the gloves could become contaminated while putting on the gown or during the subsequent steps in the PPE donning process. Therefore, donning the gloves after the gown helps ensure that the caregiver maintains a higher level of infection control.

Wearing a face shield or goggles is important for eye protection, but it happens earlier in the donning process, after the gown and before the gloves. Thus, the correct procedural order emphasizes the importance of layering protection, starting with the gown to create a barrier, followed by gloves to maintain hand hygiene and control against biohazards.