Every time a care worker reaches for gloves, a mask or a gown at the bedside, the right supply needs to be there in the right size. For directors of care, nursing leads and procurement staff in long-term care (LTC), a consistent point-of-care PPE station is one of the simplest infection control safeguards a home can standardize. This checklist covers what belongs at each station, how much to keep on hand, and who keeps it stocked.
Quick Facts
- A PPE station keeps routine and precaution supplies within arm's reach of each resident room.
- Stock gloves in every size from small to extra-large.
- Keep 1-2 boxes of each glove size per station as a starting par level.
- Assign one restock owner per shift.
- Rotate stock weekly so older boxes are used first.
- Store PPE away from heat, direct sun and moisture.
What Belongs at a Point-of-Care PPE Station
Every station needs all of the following, from hallways outside resident rooms to medication carts.
- Gloves in sizes S, M, L and XL - the item staff reach for most.
- Isolation gowns - wherever contact precautions are posted.
- Procedure masks - a full open box, not loose handfuls.
- Eye protection - for tasks where splashing is possible.
- Alcohol-based hand rub - at the station, not just the sink.
- A lined waste bin - placed so gloves come off over it.
- Donning signage - gown, mask, eye protection, gloves.
Gloves: every size, within reach
A station with one glove size forces bad choices: ill-fitting gloves, double-gloving out of worry, or a walk to another unit mid-task. Keep an open box of each size at every station and refill from central storage. Many Canadian homes standardize on blue 4-mil nitrile exam gloves.
Isolation gowns for contact precautions
Gowns protect the uniform and skin from the resident's environment, and they go on for each entry under contact precautions. Choose the level through your facility's infection control assessment; a Level 2 gown such as the CliniEco SMMS 40gsm Level 2 isolation gown suits routine contact precautions in Canadian care settings. Stock extra gowns on units under outbreak precautions.
Masks and eye protection
Keep a full box of 3-ply procedure masks at each station for routine care and droplet precautions. Add face shields or goggles where splashing of blood or body fluids is possible, such as wound care or oral care, and clean reusable eye protection between residents.
Hand rub, waste bin and signage
Hand hygiene happens before donning and after doffing, so the hand rub belongs at the station. Set the waste bin near the doorway so used PPE is discarded before leaving the area, and post the donning order at eye level with room for the restock owner's name.
Set Par Levels for Every Station
A par level is the minimum a station should hold at shift start. Use the table below as a starting point, then adjust it to your units.
| Item | Starting par per station | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrile gloves, sizes S-XL | 1-2 boxes each | Adjust to task mix and resident needs |
| Isolation gowns | 10-25 gowns | Increase on contact precaution units and during outbreaks |
| Procedure masks | 25-50 | Store the rest of the box centrally |
| Eye protection | 2-4 reusable | Clean after each use |
| Alcohol-based hand rub | 1-2 refills | Check at the daily station pass |
| Waste bin liners | 5-10 | Keep spares at the base of the bin |
Par levels also curb hoarding: staff who trust a station will be refilled leave the gloves where they belong.
Daily Checks, Weekly Rotation and Smart Storage
Daily: the restock owner's pass
Assign one restock owner per shift, usually the charge nurse or team lead. At the start of the shift they bring every station up to par, remove damaged boxes, wipe the shelf and confirm the bin and signage, then sign off at handover.
Weekly: expiry rotation
Once a week, pull older boxes to the front, move short-dated product to a marked use-first spot and remove anything expired. Boxes that sit untouched at the back of a cupboard are how expired stock finds its way into use.
Storage: keep PPE away from heat
Heat, humidity and direct sun degrade glove and mask materials long before their expiry date. Keep reserves cool and dry in original boxes, never above a radiator or in a sunny window. Pull any box that is crushed, wet or overheated.
Staying Aligned with PHAC Routine Practices
In Canada, the national reference is PHAC's Routine Practices and Additional Precautions in Canadian Health Care, which frames PPE use around a point-of-care risk assessment: the worker weighs the task, resident status and exposure risk, then picks the protection that fits. Provincial and territorial LTC programs build on this foundation, so follow those that apply to your home. A stocked station puts the recommended items where that assessment happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many boxes of gloves should each PPE station hold?
Start with one or two open boxes of each size per station, and expect a busy unit to use more medium and large than small. Watch two weeks of use, set the par to cover a full shift plus a buffer, then revisit the number after any change in resident census or outbreak status.
Who should be responsible for restocking PPE stations?
Where should PPE be stored so it stays reliable?
Keep working stock at the station in original boxes and reserves in a cool, dry room. Avoid radiators, sunny windows and damp areas, since heat and humidity can degrade gloves and masks before their expiry date. Rotate weekly and pull any box that is damaged, wet or past expiry.
The station that passes this checklist at shift start is the one staff trust when they are in a hurry. Set the par, name the owner, rotate weekly and keep stock cool; the routine takes minutes a day and removes most of the reasons a worker reaches for PPE that is missing or expired. CliniEco carries 4-mil nitrile gloves, Level 2 isolation gowns and 3-ply procedure masks suited to point-of-care stations in Canadian LTC homes.
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