Isolation Precautions and Personal Protective Equipment
Hannah Duffy BSN, RN Framingham State University NURE 991 Application of Technology to Education Dr. Lisa Thomas March 13, 2026
By the end of this module, the learner will be able to: 1. Identify each piece of PPE 2. Demonstrate how to appropriately don and doff PPE 3. Differentiate between standard precautions, contact precautions, droplet precautions, and airborne precautions
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes clothing, gloves, face shields, goggles, facemasks, respirators, and other equipment to protect front-line workers from injury, infection, or illness (American Nurses Association, 2025).
Hover over each picture to learn more about each type of PPE used in healthcare settings
...when do I wear it?
In the healthcare setting, expect to wear at least some kind of PPE every day, multiple times a day! It is important to know that nurses follow Standard Precautions for all patient care, no matter what. They are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used as a minimum. Hand hygiene is one of the biggest components to Standard Precautions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand hygiene is the single most important practice in the reduction of the transmission of infection in healthcare settings (CDC, 2024).
In addition to universal Standard Precautions, the CDC defines additional types of proper PPE required for each kind of precaution. We'll get into the different types of precautions in the next few slides. *Remember that if a patient is on a precaution, it is IN ADDITION TO standard precautions*
Contact Precautions
Contact Precautions are required in the care of patients known or suspected to have a serious illness easily transmitted by direct patient contact or by indirect contact with items in the patient’s environment.
PPE required:
Here's some examples of illnesses requiring contact precautions:
- presence of stool incontinence (may include patients with norovirus, rotavirus, or Clostridium difficile)
- draining wounds
- uncontrolled secretions
- pressure ulcers
- presence of generalized rash
- presence of ostomy tubes and/or bags draining body fluids.
*hover over the pics to learn more!
(MN Department of Health, 2022)
Droplet Precautions
Droplet Precautions are required for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by respiraptry droplets that are generated by a patient who is talking, sneezing, or coughing (CDC, 2022)
PPE Required:
There are many diseases that reqire droplet precautions. But, use the pneumotic PIMP to remember the big ones! (Like MTV's ICONIC 2000's show Pimp My Ride). P- pertussis I- influenza M- menengitis P- pneumonia
Hover over the mask to learn more!
Airborne Precautions
Airborne precautions are required whenever entering a patient's room or environment who has been diagnosed with or is being tested for with high suspicion of a disease that can be transmitted through airflow that are 5 micrometers or smaller in size and remains in the environment for long periods of time (CDC, 2022)
PPE required:
To easily remember conditions that require Airborne Precautions, just think of the acronym MTV. MTV stands for Music Television, and it it on AIR 24/7! M- MMR (measels, mumps, rubella) T- Tuberculosis V- Varicella (chickenpox)
Now that you have an understanding of the different types of precautions and PPE, it is important to know that patient's can be on multiple types of precautions at the same time, requiring you to gather the PPE for both. If you are worried about remembering which PPE you need to put on before entering your precaution patient's room---DO NOT FRET! Hospitals and healthcare facilities require isloation signs to be posted outside of the infected person's door so that health care workers and visitors know what steps they must take to prevent the spread of germs. There is no patient information on these signs. They only list the safety measures that must be taken when people enter the room. Click on the red buttons to see some isloation signs that you might come across!
The CDC provides a Guideline for Isolation Precautions
Here you can find a full list of the type and duration of precautions recommended for selected infections and conditions.
This is a great reference to use, as it breaks down exactly what to do and when!
mini quiz time!
Great job getting through this module so far! Now that you know all about isolation precautions and the appropriate PPE for them, lets talk about HOW to appropriately put it on and take it off. Before doing so, enjoy a small brain break and take a look at some of your TV show favs rocking their PPE! When you are ready, click the arrow to continue
Donning and Doffing PPE
Donning and doffing are just fancy words for "putting on" and "taking off". The sequence in which you don and doff PPE is essential to preventing infection. We know by now that each precaution requires different PPE. Therefore, the procedure for donning and doffing your PPE should be tailored to the specific PPE you need.
We will go over the sequence of how to don and doff each piece of PPE in the next few slides. The sequences do not change, as they are implemented and proven to decrease infection risk (Schiffman, 2025). SO...if a piece of PPE is not required for the specific precaution your patient is on, you simply skip over that step. Remember...the sequences NEVER change!
Sequence for Donning PPE
Oh look! Another helpful mnemonic for remembering the donning sequence! Go Gown Make Mask/Respirator Great Goggles Gloves Gloves
Click through the carousel to reveal the sequence
Donning PPE
Use your phone to scan the QR codes to view quick Tik Tok videos on donning PPE
If Tik Tok isn't your thing, or your phone is charging in the other room, click on the QR code to view a Youtube video on donning PPE
Doffing PPE
The CDC provides 2 different examples of how to safely doff PPE. Both are correct! Click on the buttons below to reveal both examples.
click to reveal example 2
click to reveal example 1
Doffing PPE
use your phone to scan the QR codes to watch quick tik toks on doffing PPE
you know the drill, click here if you'd rather a youtube video!
Let's test your knowledge!
Congrats! You have now completed this module!
References
American Nurses Association. (2025). Personal protective equipment (PPE). Project Firstline. ......https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/project-firstline/on-the-go-resource/ppe/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Sequence for putting on and removing personal protective ......equipment (PPE) https://www.cdc.gov/infection‑control/media/pdfs/Toolkits‑PPE‑Sequence‑P.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Standard precautions for all patient care. ......https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/basics/standard-precautions.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Transmission‑based precautions. ......https://www.cdc.gov/infection‑control/hcp/basics/transmission‑based‑precautions.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2025). Eye ......protection for infection control. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ppe/eye-safety/infection-control.html Douedi, S., & Douedi, H. (2024). Precautions, bloodborne, contact, and droplet. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. ......https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551555/ Minnesota Department of Health. (2022). Standard precautions. ......https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/patientsafety/infectioncontrol/pre/standard.html Phoenix Children’s Hospital. (2024). Volunteer knowledge library: Patient room signs (Isolation precaution signs). ......https://phoenixchildrens.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/volunteer_knowledge_library_patient_room_signs.pd Roberge, R. (2016). Face shields for infection control: A review. Journal of Occupational and Environmental ......Hygiene, 13(4), 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2015.1095302
References
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. (2024). Isolation precautions for adult patients. ......https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/6980U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Medical gloves. ......https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/medical-glovesU.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). N95 respirators, surgical masks, face masks, and barrier face coverings. ......https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-face ......masks-and-barrier-face-coverings World Health Organization. (2007). Standard precautions in health care: Aide‑mémoire (Aide‑mémoire). ......https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/standard-precautions-in-health-care
Isolation Precautions and Personal Protective Equipment
Hannah Duffy
Created on February 25, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Smart Presentation
View
Practical Presentation
View
Essential Presentation
View
Akihabara Presentation
View
Flow Presentation
View
Terrazzo Presentation
View
Dynamic Visual Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
Isolation Precautions and Personal Protective Equipment
Hannah Duffy BSN, RN Framingham State University NURE 991 Application of Technology to Education Dr. Lisa Thomas March 13, 2026
By the end of this module, the learner will be able to: 1. Identify each piece of PPE 2. Demonstrate how to appropriately don and doff PPE 3. Differentiate between standard precautions, contact precautions, droplet precautions, and airborne precautions
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes clothing, gloves, face shields, goggles, facemasks, respirators, and other equipment to protect front-line workers from injury, infection, or illness (American Nurses Association, 2025).
Hover over each picture to learn more about each type of PPE used in healthcare settings
...when do I wear it?
In the healthcare setting, expect to wear at least some kind of PPE every day, multiple times a day! It is important to know that nurses follow Standard Precautions for all patient care, no matter what. They are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used as a minimum. Hand hygiene is one of the biggest components to Standard Precautions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand hygiene is the single most important practice in the reduction of the transmission of infection in healthcare settings (CDC, 2024).
In addition to universal Standard Precautions, the CDC defines additional types of proper PPE required for each kind of precaution. We'll get into the different types of precautions in the next few slides. *Remember that if a patient is on a precaution, it is IN ADDITION TO standard precautions*
Contact Precautions
Contact Precautions are required in the care of patients known or suspected to have a serious illness easily transmitted by direct patient contact or by indirect contact with items in the patient’s environment.
PPE required:
Here's some examples of illnesses requiring contact precautions:
*hover over the pics to learn more!
(MN Department of Health, 2022)
Droplet Precautions
Droplet Precautions are required for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by respiraptry droplets that are generated by a patient who is talking, sneezing, or coughing (CDC, 2022)
PPE Required:
There are many diseases that reqire droplet precautions. But, use the pneumotic PIMP to remember the big ones! (Like MTV's ICONIC 2000's show Pimp My Ride). P- pertussis I- influenza M- menengitis P- pneumonia
Hover over the mask to learn more!
Airborne Precautions
Airborne precautions are required whenever entering a patient's room or environment who has been diagnosed with or is being tested for with high suspicion of a disease that can be transmitted through airflow that are 5 micrometers or smaller in size and remains in the environment for long periods of time (CDC, 2022)
PPE required:
To easily remember conditions that require Airborne Precautions, just think of the acronym MTV. MTV stands for Music Television, and it it on AIR 24/7! M- MMR (measels, mumps, rubella) T- Tuberculosis V- Varicella (chickenpox)
Now that you have an understanding of the different types of precautions and PPE, it is important to know that patient's can be on multiple types of precautions at the same time, requiring you to gather the PPE for both. If you are worried about remembering which PPE you need to put on before entering your precaution patient's room---DO NOT FRET! Hospitals and healthcare facilities require isloation signs to be posted outside of the infected person's door so that health care workers and visitors know what steps they must take to prevent the spread of germs. There is no patient information on these signs. They only list the safety measures that must be taken when people enter the room. Click on the red buttons to see some isloation signs that you might come across!
The CDC provides a Guideline for Isolation Precautions
Here you can find a full list of the type and duration of precautions recommended for selected infections and conditions.
This is a great reference to use, as it breaks down exactly what to do and when!
mini quiz time!
Great job getting through this module so far! Now that you know all about isolation precautions and the appropriate PPE for them, lets talk about HOW to appropriately put it on and take it off. Before doing so, enjoy a small brain break and take a look at some of your TV show favs rocking their PPE! When you are ready, click the arrow to continue
Donning and Doffing PPE
Donning and doffing are just fancy words for "putting on" and "taking off". The sequence in which you don and doff PPE is essential to preventing infection. We know by now that each precaution requires different PPE. Therefore, the procedure for donning and doffing your PPE should be tailored to the specific PPE you need.
We will go over the sequence of how to don and doff each piece of PPE in the next few slides. The sequences do not change, as they are implemented and proven to decrease infection risk (Schiffman, 2025). SO...if a piece of PPE is not required for the specific precaution your patient is on, you simply skip over that step. Remember...the sequences NEVER change!
Sequence for Donning PPE
Oh look! Another helpful mnemonic for remembering the donning sequence! Go Gown Make Mask/Respirator Great Goggles Gloves Gloves
Click through the carousel to reveal the sequence
Donning PPE
Use your phone to scan the QR codes to view quick Tik Tok videos on donning PPE
If Tik Tok isn't your thing, or your phone is charging in the other room, click on the QR code to view a Youtube video on donning PPE
Doffing PPE
The CDC provides 2 different examples of how to safely doff PPE. Both are correct! Click on the buttons below to reveal both examples.
click to reveal example 2
click to reveal example 1
Doffing PPE
use your phone to scan the QR codes to watch quick tik toks on doffing PPE
you know the drill, click here if you'd rather a youtube video!
Let's test your knowledge!
Congrats! You have now completed this module!
References
American Nurses Association. (2025). Personal protective equipment (PPE). Project Firstline. ......https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/project-firstline/on-the-go-resource/ppe/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Sequence for putting on and removing personal protective ......equipment (PPE) https://www.cdc.gov/infection‑control/media/pdfs/Toolkits‑PPE‑Sequence‑P.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Standard precautions for all patient care. ......https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/basics/standard-precautions.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Transmission‑based precautions. ......https://www.cdc.gov/infection‑control/hcp/basics/transmission‑based‑precautions.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2025). Eye ......protection for infection control. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ppe/eye-safety/infection-control.html Douedi, S., & Douedi, H. (2024). Precautions, bloodborne, contact, and droplet. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. ......https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551555/ Minnesota Department of Health. (2022). Standard precautions. ......https://www.health.state.mn.us/facilities/patientsafety/infectioncontrol/pre/standard.html Phoenix Children’s Hospital. (2024). Volunteer knowledge library: Patient room signs (Isolation precaution signs). ......https://phoenixchildrens.org/sites/default/files/2024-02/volunteer_knowledge_library_patient_room_signs.pd Roberge, R. (2016). Face shields for infection control: A review. Journal of Occupational and Environmental ......Hygiene, 13(4), 235–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/15459624.2015.1095302
References
University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. (2024). Isolation precautions for adult patients. ......https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthfacts/6980U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). Medical gloves. ......https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/medical-glovesU.S. Food and Drug Administration. (n.d.). N95 respirators, surgical masks, face masks, and barrier face coverings. ......https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-face ......masks-and-barrier-face-coverings World Health Organization. (2007). Standard precautions in health care: Aide‑mémoire (Aide‑mémoire). ......https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/standard-precautions-in-health-care