PPE for nurses: why women find it is still not fit for purpose

More than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, a Nursing Standard survey finds nurses may still struggle to find good quality, appropriately-fitting PPE

• Almost a quarter of respondents to our survey said gloves, gowns and masks are often too big or do not fit properly, with female nurses more likely to report ill-fitting equipment
• Almost half said there has been no improvement in PPE since the early days of the pandemic, while others noted that designs often do not take into account staff’s cultural diversity
• Responses echo concerns raised by the British Medical Association and campaign group Women in Global Health, which say inappropriate PPE is leaving some women in healthcare feeling distressed and undervalued