Which item is donned first in the standard garbing procedure?

Which item is donned first in the standard garbing procedure?

• A. Gown
• B. Head cover
• C. Shoe covers
• D. Face mask

Answer: (B)

The first item is the head cover because hair is a major source of particulates and can shed onto surfaces during the other donning steps. Putting on the head cover first traps hair and prevents it from drifting onto clean garments or sterile surfaces as you proceed with the rest of garbing. If you start with the mask or gown, you risk touching or adjusting hair while handling those items, which can introduce contaminants. After securing the head cover, you continue with the other steps in a sequence that maintains a clean barrier: the mask to limit respiratory droplets, then the gown to provide a protective layer, followed by shoe covers to keep floor dust out. This order helps minimize contamination of the sterile field from the most common sources.

The first item is the head cover because hair is a major source of particulates and can shed onto surfaces during the other donning steps. Putting on the head cover first traps hair and prevents it from drifting onto clean garments or sterile surfaces as you proceed with the rest of garbing. If you start with the mask or gown, you risk touching or adjusting hair while handling those items, which can introduce contaminants. After securing the head cover, you continue with the other steps in a sequence that maintains a clean barrier: the mask to limit respiratory droplets, then the gown to provide a protective layer, followed by shoe covers to keep floor dust out. This order helps minimize contamination of the sterile field from the most common sources.