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PPE is used to prevent the transmission of infectious matter to the healthcare worker. Critical assessment of the patient’s condition is necessary to anticipate appropriate garb when caring for the PACU patient. For example:

• Wear a mask with eye protection when suctioning or extubating a patient, or encouraging the patient to breathe deeply, cough, or when administering therapies that may cause coughing.
• Wear a fit-tested respirator and eye protection when engaging in aerosol-generating procedures, such as intubation or bronchoscopy (Siegel, Rhinehart, Jackson, & Chiarello, 2007).
• Wear clean examination gloves when touching mucous membranes, broken skin, or when anticipating a hand-contaminating event, such as emptying a drain or urinary catheter.
• Wear a fluid-resistant gown when anticipating a splash of blood or bodily fluid, such as uncontrolled bleeding or placement of an arterial line.

Monitoring compliance with the appropriate PPE should be accomplished by personnel both internal and external to the PACU, with peer feedback. Results of compliance audits should be reported to the organization. All PPE should be discarded and hands cleaned when the healthcare worker leaves the individual patient’s care area (bay, cubicle, etc.). For example, pulling a mask under the chin and replacing it affords two separate hand-contaminating events and, therefore, is not recommended.