2 glove technique? HUHH?

[RN1822]

OK, so today one of the Respiratory therapist had some time and was nice enough to let me shadow him as he was caring for a pt that frequently decannulates. ( I work in LTACH). He put on two pair of clean gloves and then a sterile pair on top of that to make him "extra sterile"? I asked him about that technique and he said that was the 2 glove technique. I am new here and don't want to appear insane but, really......I have never heard of this. Is this specific to Respiratory Therapy or is this guy pulling my chain. We were replacing a trach strap.

I thanked him for his time and went to finish up my pateints. Has anyone else heard of this?

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I use the "2 glove technique" if the girl's really skanky.

[SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN]

Well, where was this knowledge last year during my first semester?! There were 3 of us students and we had to do a bed bath on an immobile pt. She was also on iron, so we know the mess she made. I was the one cleaning that area and got my gloves so messy. i asked the guy next to me to get some clean gloves and he disappeared! Life would have been easier with another pair of gloves on!

[mom_coach_nurse, LPN]

I use the "2 glove technique" if the girl's really skanky.

[boggle, ASN, RN]

Calling double gloving a "Technique" is really confusing to all, especially to nursing students. A few years ago, I searched all over for some reference to support double gloving to better protect the caregiver, Infection control sites, NIH, you name it. I couldn't find anything, ...BUT... I think it all comes down to the quality and fit of the gloves you use. If your facility has lousy gloves, shame on them. Raise a fuss ...... OSHA anyone??. You would think it would be far cheaper for a facility for you to use one pair of good quality gloves to get a task done than multiple pairs of ones that rip and shread. Sigh.I can see the point of the convenience of stripping off one dirty glove and having a clean one on underneath when handling messy cleanups though. Wish I had thought of that earlier.

[Merced]

Double or even triple gloves for "code brown" makes sense also from the "smell" standpoint. I have noticed a smell of feces on my hands if I only use 1 layer of gloves; 2 or even 3 makes the job so much easier. Just peel off as you go.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

At my old hospital, the policy was to wear sterile gloves to change trach ties... I always thought it didn't make any sense .

Yeah...when you go to undo the ties, you will touch the pt's hair/gown/shoulders/sheets....none of which are sterile. Then again, since when do all hospital policies make sense.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

The part I loved the most is when he told you this was the "2 glove technique"

[msjellybean]

I will double glove when I'm cleaning up an especially poopy patient. Or with trach care.

[R. Obias Jr., R.N.]

Bad practice , prone to transfer of whatever the previous patient had to the next patient. A definite infection control candidate, an epidemic prone professional, if you had unexplained conditions among his patients , this could be the culprit.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Bad practice , prone to transfer of whatever the previous patient had to the next patient. A definite infection control candidate, an epidemic prone professional, if you had unexplained conditions among his patients , this could be the culprit.

???

Assuming that gloves are removed and disposed of properly, and normal handwashing occurs between patients ... how is double-gloving an infection risk?

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Yeah...when you go to undo the ties, you will touch the pt's hair/gown/shoulders/sheets....none of which are sterile. Then again, since when do all hospital policies make sense.

Most importantly, the ties aren't sterile. Heck, the TRACH itself isn't sterile.

[anabellatx1]

Funny, I saw that too while working in the ER floor. One of the doctors did that and I thought it was interesting. I say it's rather convenient in some situations.