What type of personal protective equipment should you wear while documenting in the isolation room?

When documenting in an isolation room, wearing clean gloves is essential for maintaining a barrier between your skin and potential contaminants. This practice helps prevent the transfer of pathogens that might be present in the environment, which is particularly crucial in isolation situations where patients are infected with communicable diseases.

Gloves provide a protective layer that not only safeguards the healthcare worker but also helps in preventing contamination of the environment and medical records. Clean gloves are necessary especially when touching any objects in the room, such as writing implements or charts, as these could harbor infectious agents.

The other options, although they offer various levels of protection, do not fully encompass the recommended practice for this specific scenario of documentation. Masks and goggles, for instance, are more about respiratory protection and protection of the eyes from potential splashes. Disposable gowns serve to protect personal clothing from exposure but are not specifically designed for documentation tasks, and a face shield primarily offers protection of the face and eyes, which might not be necessary if appropriate distancing is maintained. Each of these alternatives addresses different risks but does not directly align with the core requirement of preventing direct contact with potentially infectious materials while documenting.