overusing GLOVES

[liluiass]

Hey guys!

I have a question about non sterile gloves

what are the things that absolutely shouldn't be done without putting a pair of gloves on

like I know some over use them and I've seen doctors draw blood with no gloves on or touch an infected wound (which I wouldn't do)

It's not that I don't really know when

I work in a facility where the quantity of gloves they give is not sufficient so it's for the sake of documenting and signaling

so when is it a must to wear a pair of gloves and when it is a must to discard it.

it's not in the US and the lack of the gloves is a problem of management not financial trouble.

so if some could provide a guideline or something I could put in a report if I refused to do something because of the lack of gloves and thank you

[Buckeye.nurse]

You mentioned that you aren't practicing in the United States. All I can do is give you the recommendations of practice here, and hope that it helps you.

First, gloves are part of standard precautions. This means that they are a barrier between your skin and the mucous membranes or body fluids of your patients. Many diseases are spread through body fluids, and could enter your body through a break in your skin (Hepatitis, HIV, and E Coli to name a few). We often don't know if our patients have a communicable disease, and so are expected to use standard precautions for all patients when contact with mucous membranes or body fluids is reasonably expected. This can mean different things to different providers. Almost everyone I know considers it prudent to wear gloves when giving eye drops, injections, starting IVs, drawing labs, assisting with personal care, and bathing patients. However, some nurses also wear gloves when giving PO meds or pulling patients up in bed. If gloves are in short supply where you work, then maybe limit use to times when you *almost positive* that you will have contact with body fluids/mucous membranes?

Second, gloves are part of special precautions. For patients in contact precautions (resistant bacteria), we gown and glove before entering their room or touching anything in their environment. For patients in neutropenic precautions (low white count/low absolute neutrophil count), we glove if we feel ill at all to protect them from us. For patients receiving chemo, we wear extra thick gloves as part of chemo precautions when interacting with their chemo lines or their body fluids.

I hope some of the information in here is helpful to you!! Bottom line though, whether wearing gloves or not, hand washing is the single most important thing to preventing the spread of infection!

[oceangirl1234]

If you are going to come into contact with bodily fluids, flushing or accessing central lines, touching wounds/rashes I would wear gloves. Basically anything I wouldn't want to possible come into contact with or take home with me. Soiled sheets? I'm gonna wear gloves. Just my thoughts!

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Here in the US, most nurses won't ever touch the patient without gloves out of their over - enhanced sense of security. It is not good for their assessment skills, but they do it anyway because that's what is hammered into their heads from day #1 in school.

I've got my reputation of somewhat of a witch in part because I do assessments with my naked hands, policies be d***ed. But I know that I am not in the majority and I know it.

[CCStacey]

I would always wear gloves when coming in physical contact with any patient. You should also change gloves when moving from patient to patient. Lack of supplies is a problem in healthcare, whoever is in charge really needs to be aware of the potential damage and the long term costs that could be avoided by providing something as simple as properly made, well fitting gloves.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

People, gloves are not without 100% protection......well exam gloves anyway...

I learned just how porous they are when mixing a methylene blue iv...

Soap washing good technique the best

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

Until I've seen what's under the covers/gown, I'm wearing gloves. Nothing like a nice wet, bloody/poopy/whatever unknown bodily fluid leak to accidentally place your hand in when helping the patient sit up so you can listen to their lung sounds. Nothing like discovering that wound that was left out of report while not wearing gloves. Nope. Cost of supplies be damned, I'm wearing gloves if they want me to work. Otherwise, they can pay the sad individual who doesn't think they will be the one to get a special gift that keeps on giving from a patient as an unwanted bonus. Many of our patients have a history of IVDA where I'm at, so I'm not taking any chances.

[Sour Lemon]

Here in the US, most nurses won't ever touch the patient without gloves out of their over - enhanced sense of security. It is not good for their assessment skills, but they do it anyway because that's what is hammered into their heads from day #1 in school.

I've got my reputation of somewhat of a witch in part because I do assessments with my naked hands, policies be d***ed. But I know that I am not in the majority and I know it.

It's not necessarily about hammering or security. For me, it's a comfort issue. I don't put my bare hands on people in medical situations because I don't like bare hands on my own bare skin in medical situations.

[wondern, ASN]

I prefer bare hands touching me as long as they've been washed properly.

If you wear gloves I want to see them being put on fresh otherwise I don't know were those nasty things have been.

It's all about body fluids and germs spreading, and following aseptic or sterile technique. Gloves can spread them just as easily if not used properly.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

If I am going to touch a patient or touch anything the patient has touched, I am putting gloves on. Yes, gloves are to the protect the patient but they are also to protect ME. I am most comfortable with gloves on if there is going to be physical contact.

[Flatline, BSN, RN]

What country are you in? Have you checked NICE or your local standards?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I'm one of the least glove wearing nurses I know. If I have any wounds on my hands and there's blood involved, the gloves need to go on. If it body fluids without gloves, gloves are for the ick factor only, but hand washing will get rid of the cooties. I see coworkers wearing gloves to handle a clean urinal/bedpan, and that seems silly. Gloves to touch bare skin, still overkill in my mind, unless there's a weeping wound.