improvement to sterile gloves

[MichaelMcDonough]

Alright so I'm an RN with a BSN and so is my friend Courtney. She hates how every time you open a pair of sterile gloves they are all bunched up and it is hard to tell the difference between the thumb and the pinkie. Every nurse has contaminated a glove trying to straighten it out after putting their hand in wrong (especially with wet hands). It is scary to think about, but how often do you think nurses who forgot to grab a backup pair just go right ahead and keep using the dirty glove?

Courtney thought it would be a lot easier if the gloves had a line running down the back of the thumb, all the way to the wrist, so it is clear just where the thumb is located. The less handling the gloves get the better, so we are thinking that the reference line will decrease infection rates, cut the cost of care, save time, and reduce wasted supplies. It is simple but significant. She's taking a research class to prove our concept and make sure everything is evidence based.

So that's the idea. We've named it the Jalbert Reference Line and we have a patent pending. At the end of November we sent proposals out to thirteen different glove manufacturers. We've had some interest from a few of them but none have committed to making our gloves yet. It'd be nice if they'd hurry things up and get the wheels turning. We would really like to get this product out there for the sake of our patients.

Anyone out there have any ideas on how else we can put this out there and generate interest? Anyone know anyone with some clout at a sterile glove company? Even if you just think this is a good idea and would like to see it in your facility those comments alone might convince these companies our product is worth adopting. We're confident that the research we'll be doing over the winter will get us some numbers by spring. Still though, spring is pretty far away and we'd like to get this out there and stop a few infections. Thanks everyone.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Can't say I've ever had that problem with sterile gloves.. they are generally laid out well in the pack.

[mamamerlee, LPN]

I wish you a lot of luck. Most of the sterile gloves I've used either say 'Thumb' on the package, or 'right' and 'left' on the package.

In the near future, at least one or two of those companies will come up with their own 'design'. I hope they have the ethics to pay you for 'their' concept.

[MichaelMcDonough]

Thanks for the support, we appreciate it. We've seen those but no one has a mark on the actual glove that is specifically marking a part of the glove. Our patent is pretty clear that we claim any mark on the glove which is always in the same spot and used to visually orient the gloves.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

My sterile glove packaging always steers me toward "thumb" and "cuff." I haven't ever needed further guidance.

[MichaelMcDonough]

But wouldn't those prompts be slightly more helpful if they were directly on the gloves? We aren't saying this is absolutely ground breaking, we're just saying it would be useful enough to make it cost effective. Kinda like the tape on the end of a shoelace to keep it from fraying. Shoelaces were good before, but that tape made them great haha.

[pennyaline]

STERILE gloves all bunched up in the package, and you can't tell where the thumbs are? Are you sure? I've never, never, never had that experience with sterile gloves. The are unfailingly laid out and lined up neatly in their inner paper wrappers, marked for size, the left and right sides noted clearly, cuff end marked clearly. Open the "Right" on the right and "Left" on the left with the "Cuff" end of the package toward you and Bob's your uncle. Couldn't be easier.

Are you sure it's sterile gloves you've got there? Also, why are you handling sterile gloves with bare wet hands, contaminating them by default?

[MichaelMcDonough]

Haha wow, you guys are really slamming our idea here, but the constructive criticism is welcome nonetheless. Yes, the individually packaged gloves are usually laid out pretty well, but think about the ones in catheter kits and in picc change kits. This line couldn't hurt, but could definitely help. As I said, slight improvement, not groundbreaking, just better than the status quo.

I'm very good about drying my hands completely when putting on sterile gloves (not trying to be defensive here), but I've put regular gloves on with damp hands and they are next to impossible, it would be the same with sterile gloves.

[elkpark]

I've never had any trouble putting on gloves the way they come now ...

Good luck with your idea, though.

[stelon]

I've also never had an issue distinguishing which glove is which or where the thumb goes as they are all laid out the same way in the packaging. Your point about the gloves that come with suction kits and other kits where they do not have the outer packaging though is valid.

I could see having a line on the gloves that come that way being a big help.

[catshowlady]

I figured you were talking about the kind that come in kits. Honestly, I don't have a problem with putting those gloves on, but they stink because they aren't as stretchy as the individually packaged ones and one size does *not* fit all when your preferred glove size is a 6.

My suggestion? Find a way to make those kit gloves one-size-really-does-fit-all.

:paw:

[50caliber]

Never had that problem. The one that comes in kits are too small for me anyways. I'd just grab one that fits me and toss the ones from the kits.