Medical gloves are an important safeguard for preventing transmission of organisms from patients to healthcare providers (HCP). However, their full effect is only achieved when HCP use them correctly. Unfortunately, adherence to glove-use instructions is often compromised by work practices that fail to consider how HCP handle and manipulate objects while wearing gloves. Research has shown that this can lead to contaminated gloves that contaminate surfaces and other HCP, leading to direct transmission of pathogens and indirect cross-contamination via re-use of contaminated gloves.
Fortunately, there are several factors that can help clinicians to minimize contamination risks and improve glove-use behaviour. The first and most important is ensuring that gloves fit properly. Gloves that are too loose can cause fingers to slip inside and become entangled, while those that are too tight restrict movement and lead to hand fatigue. Choosing gloves that are both comfortable and well-fitting helps to prevent these problems, and can also reduce the risk of accidental contaminant release.
The second factor is selecting the right type of gloves for a specific procedure. Many different types of medical gloves are available, and they are designed for a wide range of patient and workplace environments and procedures. For example, latex gloves are the most commonly used medical gloves and offer a combination of durability, barrier protection, and tactile sensitivity. However, some individuals may have a sensitivity to latex and may prefer non-latex medical gloves, which are available in a variety of materials such as nitrile rubber (NR), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), polychloroprene rubber (CR), or vinyl chloride (VC).
In addition to choosing the right type of glove, it is also important to choose the correct thickness of glove for the application. Thicker gloves offer more resistance against puncture and tears, but can be less flexible, resulting in reduced dexterity.
Finally, it is important to check gloves regularly for damage before putting them on and using them. This includes visual inspection for holes, rips, signs of deterioration, or discolouration, as well as a tactile check to ensure that gloves fit and feel comfortable and that there are no gaps or other irregularities in the fit.
Whether you are looking for the right type of medical gloves for your practice, or you just want to make sure that your staff is taking the best possible care of themselves while working in healthcare, Henry Schein has hundreds of varieties of exam gloves at competitive prices. Learn more about our selection of nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves, or log in to place an order online today!