Does anyone double-glove?

Nurses General Nursing

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As a new nursing student, I am curious if any one double-gloves when doing something that will expose them to a lot of body fluids. Obviously, gloves break often and I'm wondering what you do to protect yourself just in case.

Michelle

I only double glove if I am taking care of a patient who I KNOW has hepatitis or AIDS. I have had plenty of box gloves rip at my hospital. The risk of a HCW getting HIV/AIDS is 0.47% even with a needlestick (CDC). Universal precautions helps as well...I teach my students to treat every patient as if they are infectious. :coollook:

And how do you know if they do or they don't?? That's why "universal precautions" right?

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Specializes in O.R Trauma Nurse.

I always double glove when I get a chance to scrub. I like to know that if I am doing a case I have that extra protection for myself. And many of our patient Dr really love to wait while you change your gloves and then glove them:chuckle

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Specializes in Neurology, Neurosurgerical & Trauma ICU.

Ok, now here's my question on it all. What about those of us who do not use latex gloves because of a latex allergy???? I use the Nitrile gloves at work.

For times when it requires me to use sterile latex gloves, then I'll usually put a pair of latex gloves over non-latex ones, but that's the only time I double glove.

Good thread, makes you think.

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I do double glove -- I have to use rather expensive non latex gloves without powder -- so I wil wear that pair under a couple pair of regular ones if involved in something really messy and can change the cheaper layers as opposed to going through 3 million expensive gloves a day -- never wear them for more than one procedure though! ( EEEW!! Perish the thought!)

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I only double glove if I have to do a rectal impaction, which I haven't done in years - hopefully making this statement won't jinx me.

:)

Here's another thought . . I personally know nurses/crna's who do not glove up when starting IV's.

steph

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I double-glove all the time, first with the green Biogel underglove, then with a Eudermic.

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My sister is a medical tech (the BS type not as in pt tech).

During her labs one of the things the professor had them do was fill a latex and nonlatex glove with water, tie a knot in them and leave them sit on the lab bench over night.

In the morning both gloves had puddles of water beneath them and were obviously deflated. The non latex glove had lost more water than the latex glove.

It is a lesson she came home and shared with me and when I question gloving and double gloving, I double glove. And if for some reason I have to wear nonlatex (they come in all of our sterile kits) I put a pair of clean latex gloves on underneath.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Usually the only time I double-glove is when I already have gloves on, like when I'm in an isolation room, and then go to do something sterile like suctioning, I'll just add the sterile gloves on top of the gloves I ready have on.

I'm comfortable with single gloving.

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No gloves for IV starts?! I know, I know -- "I can't feel it right with the gloves on!" -- Is it really worth the risks?! Not these days!! I have to admit, I cringe when one of my "seasoned" RN's goes into a room to demonstrate how to get a difficult stick and promptly rips the tip of the glove from her pointer finger :uhoh21: I am thinking that kind of defeats the purpose of the glove -- compromises it's integrity a little. OH and to those same gals -- if you are doing a procedure where you need to mask for sterility precautions -- pleas don't cut off the bottom strings and just leave the mask hanging there -- the newbies are watching! the newbies are watching!!!!

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Sure do. Everytime I insert a suppository. Haven't broken a glove yet.

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