A nurse is caring for a client who is on isolation precautions. Which of the following pieces of personal protective equipment should the nurse remove first?

Rationale: A. Gown: The gown should be removed after the gloves because it may be contaminated but has less direct contact with infectious material. Removing it after gloves helps reduce the risk of spreading pathogens from the hands to the clothing or environment. B. Mask: The mask is usually removed last to prevent inhalation of airborne or droplet contaminants during PPE removal. Premature removal may expose the nurse to infectious particles still present in the surrounding air. C. Eyewear: Goggles or face shields should be removed after gloves to avoid contamination of the face during removal. Touching the eyewear with potentially contaminated gloves could transfer pathogens close to the eyes or face. D. Gloves: Gloves are the most contaminated PPE item due to direct patient contact and should be removed first. This limits the risk of transferring pathogens from the gloves to other PPE or surfaces during the removal process.