Does size matter (Gloves nurses, gloves!)

Nurses General Nursing

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I do PRN nursing work. Recently a facility I work at has gone to only purchasing medium and xtra large gloves ? and the cheap ones with no stretch at that! My problem is I have large hands. I usually wear a large glove. I can fit a medium in a nice stretch glove like the blue nitrile gloves but in the food service type, white/clear gloves this facility provides tear when I try to put a medium on and the xtra large are bulky and I fear not protective due to the open area at the wrist. I am planning on bringing this up as an infection control issue with my boss. What are your feelings about this? Have you ever run across this issue? How did or would you handle this?

If the gloves are too large, especially the vinyl ones that don’t conform at all, I have so much trouble manipulating anything small, so it makes wound care or injections really difficult. I might as well have two slices of bread for hands.

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I wish there were a law about this, but I have been unable to find one. According to the facility I should just wear the extra large.

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15 minutes ago, Zippy83 said:

If the gloves are too large, especially the vinyl ones that don’t conform at all, I have so much trouble manipulating anything small, so it makes wound care or injections really difficult. I might as well have two slices of bread for hands.

Yes, you accurately describe my dilemma. I am going to talk to admin but if they are unwilling to provide gloves I will have to find other work. Next job interview when they ask if I have any questions....I will be asking about the gloves!

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Specializes in Critical care.

Our facility used to use similar gloves. I did some research, and if you look at the website a lot of those non-stretch gloves say right on the manufacturer's website "not for patient use". Take THAT to your infection control meeting, unless they are nitrile or latex gloves they are NOT recommended for pt's body fluids. After I pointed this out to our hospital they moved to the nitrile gloves. As far as the size I try to squeeze into smaller gloves rather than oversize them, ever try to open a combination lock with mittens on?

Cheers

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6 hours ago, hawaiicarl said:

Our facility used to use similar gloves. I did some research, and if you look at the website a lot of those non-stretch gloves say right on the manufacturer's website "not for patient use". Take THAT to your infection control meeting, unless they are nitrile or latex gloves they are NOT recommended for pt's body fluids. After I pointed this out to our hospital they moved to the nitrile gloves. As far as the size I try to squeeze into smaller gloves rather than oversize them, ever try to open a combination lock with mittens on?

Cheers

Thank you for that information!!! I plan on checking into these gloves now!

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8 hours ago, CastiMcNasti said:

Doesn't the facility legally have to provide you with whatever equipment you need to do your job safely? If they aren't willing to get you the gloves, I would look into reaching out to OSHA.

Do it - anonymously - if your facility doesn't supply you with gloves that meet your needs.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
15 hours ago, Krispy Kritter said:

I wish there were a law about this, but I have been unable to find one. According to the facility I should just wear the extra large.

From my years of being on my employers safety committee: YES, SIZE MATTERS!! There IS a law:

Each healthcare facility is required to abide by OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention Safety regulations (29 CFR 1910.1030) which requires that gloves be worn when it is reasonably anticipated that hand contact may occur with blood, other potentially infectious materials, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or contaminated items or surfaces, as well as when performing vascular access.

  • Paragraph 1910.1030(d)(2)(i) requires the use of engineering and work practice controls to eliminate or minimize employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Paragraph 1910.1030(d)(3)(i) describes that personal protective equipment (PPE) is to be provided by employer and only considered appropriate when it FITS to prevent blood / potentially infectious materials not come one’s skin.

Quote

Provision. When there is occupational exposure, the employer shall provide, at no cost to the employee, appropriate personal protective equipment such as, but not limited to, gloves, gowns, laboratory coats, face shields or masks and eye protection, and mouthpieces, resuscitation bags, pocket masks, or other ventilation devices. Personal protective equipment will be considered “appropriate” only if it does not permit blood or other potentially infectious materials to pass through to or reach the employee's work clothes, street clothes, undergarments, skin, eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes under normal conditions of use and for the duration of time which the protective equipment will be used

  • 1910.1030(c)(1)(iii) Each employer shall ensure that a copy of the Exposure Control Plan is accessible to employees in accordance with 29 CFR 1910.20(e). It is required to be updated at least annually.

So, I'd followup with your manager to request copy of your facilities Exposure Control Plan to see what it says about PPE. Use above info to inform them that by providing only 2 sizes gloves, they are failing to follow OSHA's Blood Borne Pathogens law --- that should entice them to obtain glove size you need.

OSHA's area offices+ phone # available for further information, or to report continued non-compliance if they don't provide PPE you need to protect yourself.

Let us know how you make out.

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If they're not nitrile gloves, I don't touch them.

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**Update** Spoke to management...they told me that supplying the gloves is a courtesy and that if I require special gloves I can supply them myself just like my stethoscope and scrubs. They said there is no law that requires them to provide us with gloves. Not sure where to go from here, working on updating my resume.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nursing.

According to OSHA, employers are required to provide PPE in the appropriate size to employees at no charge/cost to the employee. Just saying.

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38 minutes ago, Krispy Kritter said:

**Update** Spoke to management...they told me that supplying the gloves is a courtesy and that if I require special gloves I can supply them myself just like my stethoscope and scrubs. They said there is no law that requires them to provide us with gloves. Not sure where to go from here, working on updating my resume.

I would call the board of nursing and ask them what they think about this...... that's after I find a new job.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Next step:

Contact OSHA's area offices+ phone # for further information, and to report non-compliance as employer told you that won't provide PPE you need to protect yourself.

You may need to look for different employer as employee safety not a priority.

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