Table 3.
Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) interim recommendations for use of PPE during care delivery and administration of hazardous cancer drugs10
| PPE | ONS Recommendation | COVID-19 Interim recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Gowns | Disposable poly-coated | Regular disposable gown (water resistant) Cloth gown (facility laundered)* |
| Masks | Mask with face and eye protection required only if splashing is likely and for cleaning of spills | N95 masks should be reserved for symptomatic or COVID-19–+ patients, hazardous spills and clean-up Powdered air purifying respirators (PAPRs) |
| Eye protection | Mask with eye protection or goggles if splashing is likely and for cleaning of spills | Full face piece air purifying respirators or PAPRs |
| Gloves | Double chemotherapy-tested gloves | Single chemotherapy-tested gloves, double standard exam gloves, or single standard exam glove |
| Shoe covers | Use in compounding areas only | Work-only washable shoes |
| Safe handling of NIOSH drugs | Poly-coated gown and double chemotherapy tested gloves (single use to hang or take down chemotherapy) | Use one gown per patient – hang gown inside-out near patient and away from surfaces between uses One nurse performs all takedowns of chemotherapy Use gloves only (no gown) for lower hazardous risk drugs |
⁎
For infection control and non-hazardous drugs.