Gloving up?!?

[scrubs2716]

I see many nurses in the "real world" not use gloves when admnistering IV therapy via ports. I know that they are using the plastic cannulas so there is no risk of "stick" injury but is this "safe" for the RN? Obviously, if the pt was neutropenic or immunocompromised in some way this would be horrible but is this the way the real world works? I admit I haven't gloved up a few times...2222222

[pacifica]

i think part of the rationale with that, even if you are using a needless system is that you can contaminate the port with your hands and those germs can sometimes get into the tubing and then into the patient.

i personally do not touch a patient without gloves on for any reason. i put them on before i swab the port to inject or hang anything.

That doesn't make much sense though, because unless you are using sterile gloves the gloves are just as dirty as your hands. Potentially dirtier actually, because presumably you would wash your hands but gloves don't get washed.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

The rationale for wearing clean gloves when accessing IV ports is to protect the nurse from exposure to the patient's blood.

Protecting the patient from introducing pathogens into the IV port/line is done by swabbing ports with alcohol and keeping anything that touches it sterile.

At my facility, wearing clean gloves when accessing peripheral IVs or central lines is policy and procedure.

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Cleaning the port before IV pushes and port access is important.

Wearing gloves for this is unecessary and can actually cause you and the patient to be at risk for latex sensetivity int the future.

If you ar not wearing gloves for chemo or caustic meds then there is no reason.

Wearing them for taking vitals is also overkill UNLESS you are taking care of a known infected patient with potential for transmission(In which case you would be keeping that medical equipment separate from other patients right?"

Do you wear gloves to the supermarket?

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

Cleaning the port before IV pushes and port access is important.

Wearing gloves for this is unecessary and can actually cause you and the patient to be at risk for latex sensetivity int the future.

Our facility only uses non-latex gloves.

[Bella36RN]

I definitely dont glove up for vitals unless there is visibly body fluid somewhere or the patient has an infection (and in those cases most have their own blood pressure cuff and etc.) i think it is a little over kill to glove up for vitals just my opinion

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Cleaning the port before IV pushes and port access is important.

Wearing gloves for this is unecessary and can actually cause you and the patient to be at risk for latex sensetivity int the future.

If you ar not wearing gloves for chemo or caustic meds then there is no reason.

Wearing them for taking vitals is also overkill UNLESS you are taking care of a known infected patient with potential for transmission(In which case you would be keeping that medical equipment separate from other patients right?"

Do you wear gloves to the supermarket?

How many places actually still have latex gloves?? I haven't worked anywhere in the past 8 years that still had latex gloves.:uhoh21:

[jmgrn65, RN]

How many places actually still have latex gloves?? I haven't worked anywhere in the past 8 years that still had latex gloves.:uhoh21:

there are some I think on the ladies on this forum works at a hospital where they use latex gloves. So there are a few.

I don't use gloves for hanging ivpb and sometmes for ivp.

[TazziRN, RN]

I never glove up when working with established IV lines unless I'm withdrawing blood. If I'm injecting I just scrub the port with a prep pad. If injecting there is absolutely no chance of contact with body fluids, unless you accidentally pull the whole line out, which is highly unlikely.