Infection control + gloves

CapeCodMermaid, RN · May 12, 2016

I wear gloves any time there is a chance I will come in contact with any bodily fluids. Unless I know the patient puts their hands in their briefs (I work in LTC) I wouldn't put a pair of gloves on to hold their hand. I had a wound doctor ask me why I didn't put a pair of gloves on to stroke a resident's arm when he was de-breeding a wound. I replied-there are no fluids on his upper arm and sometimes a kind touch of skin to skin is far better than latex to skin or vinyl to skin. He agreed. I washed my hands before I left the room and lived to tell the tale.

Back in the dark ages when I was in nursing school, we were told we shouldn't wear gloves when changing someone's colostomy bag because they might feel bad that we didn't want to come in contact with their poop! My answer was "I am more concerned with bacteria than feelings!" I have staff who put gloves on to pass a tray. If you're not touching the food, you don't need gloves.

ALL that being said, follow your facility/school policy (unless they tell you not to wear gloves changing a colostomy bag!)

MaxAttack, BSN, RN · May 13, 2016

First Google result for "nursing when to wear gloves" -

MedlinePlus - Wearing Gloves in the Hospital

Wearing gloves in the hospital: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

"Wear gloves every time you will be touching blood, bodily fluids, bodily tissues, mucous membranes, or broken skin. You should wear gloves for this sort of contact, even if a patient seems healthy and has no signs of any germs."

No lie, I wear gloves so often that when I touch a patient without them it feels strange.

And thanks brownbook, I'm going to add antibiotics to the list of the things that can cause autism, right between "shoddy research" and "the boogeyman"...

AJJKRN · May 13, 2016

I tend to wear gloves more often because I have been burned before. There is nothing like walking into a Pt's room and helping to reposition said Pt and then touching something on the bed linen that feels like a probable luggie (happens often with oriented Pt's too!). :barf02:

Or being in the room doing an assessment and suddenly you have your Pt projectile vomiting...or diarrhea...or whatever floats your fancy.

And for those that are fertile and planning on having children, pregnant, breast feeding, etc, there are always the chemo precaution Pt's that you get on general Med-Surg floors, etc that you should glove for anticipated bodily fluid contact. Often since these Pt's aren't on the Hemo-Onc floor, this little tidbit is often left out or the staff is not aware to pass on.

Either way, always being contientious about what you just touched and what you will touch next should govern a changing of your gloves or sanitizing of your hands. AKA don't empty a urinal and then go get someone fresh ice water without some cleaning in between, bare backed or gloved!)

allnurses Guide · May 14, 2016

Nursing student here - I wanted to become more familiar with gloves in general eg choosing the right type for the right job so I feel more comfortable at my placements around that. But I am having a hard time finding information. Wondering if anyone can help me out? Also, what's your practice around gloves? I have spoken to a couple people about it and it seems some people choose to wear them for just about any patient encounter and others are on the opposite end of the spectrum, even giving bed baths without them! I'm just looking for any thoughts/resources I could look at so I can feel more confident choosing when to don gloves and which type. Thanks:)

As others here have said your school will set the infection control policies you are to follow at clinical sites. My school was really odd as one clinical instructor wanted us to wear gloves for all patient contact and the next semester a different teacher chastised us for over use of gloves. That being said in Psych we almost never wear gloves unless blood or body fluid exposure is very likely or in an evolving escalation where "hands on intervention" and injury to caregivers or patients might occur. Many psych patients see gloves as threatening and de-humanizing and it only leads to distrust. Our patients come off the streets with just about every disease known to mankind and we interact with them all the time - we just wash our hands a lot :dead: . I really hate hand sanitizer as it dries out my skin horribly. At night or when I sleep I coat my hands with extra virgin coconut oil and wear cotton gloves. Then just wash between patient interactions.

Peace

Hppy