School and sterile gloving

[XalieHealbot]

I am testing for the second time on Monday on changing a dry wound dressing. I failed my first attempt on sterile gloving. The gloves were stuck together. What is the best method to not break sterility and be able to glove on the first try? Any tips, tricks or ideas are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Note this school gives you 2 attempts at a skill and if you don't make it on the second attempt, you are forced to withdraw.

Nursing student losing her mind

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

It takes practice. Is there an opportunity to utilize your school's skills lab for practice? Can you buy sterile gloves yourself to practice with? Amazon.com does have some available.

[XalieHealbot]

I have 2 pair that I've been reusing to practice with but nothing is the same as opening a new package and seeing what you get. The lab isn't open through the holiday so my best chance is to go early Monday to practice but they won't give you extra supplies to work with. I didn't know how I can hold the other glove down without breaking sterility to separate if I get a stuck pair. I tried to put one finger on it cuff the first time but when I picked it up my thumb in my sterile gloves hand touched the cuff and that was it. I guess I could put my ungloved hand inside the opening to hold it down? That wouldn't compromise the sterility but it's risky.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

I've never opened a pair of sterile gloves and had them "stuck together".. however, if this ever did happen I would discard those and get a new set... If it were to happen again during testing, I would describe the issue immediately and request a new set.

[vanilla bean]

I've never opened a pair of sterile gloves and had them "stuck together".. however, if this ever did happen I would discard those and get a new set... If it were to happen again during testing, I would describe the issue immediately and request a new set.

I have this happen all the time with the brand of sterile gloves that come as part of our sterile suction catheter kits. OP, here's what I do: I pinch each glove through the sterile packaging (my fingers/hands touching only the *outside* of the sterile paper packaging) and pull them apart. This maintains sterility of the inside surface of the packaging and the gloves themselves. Then I get on with sterile gloving as normal.

[Emergent, RN]

[video=youtube_share;ylrqilC3YmY]

[XalieHealbot]

I have this happen all the time with the brand of sterile gloves that come as part of our sterile suction catheter kits. OP, here's what I do: I pinch each glove through the sterile packaging (my fingers/hands touching only the *outside* of the sterile paper packaging) and pull them apart. This maintains sterility of the inside surface of the packaging and the gloves themselves. Then I get on with sterile gloving as normal.

Thank you so much! The gloves we get are often times stuck together and we are told to figure it out by knowing the sterile field. This to me, while very important, isn't what would happen in the real setting. I feel that you would discard and get a new set of in some settings, you have assistance. I feel as though I would need to be very careful to pull them apart from outside. With that, if you can't tell until you open them that they are stuck together, closing the paper back down would compromise sterility. Oh the fear I feel.

[AliNajaCat]

[video=youtube_share;ylrqilC3YmY]

I liked the video, but noticed immediately he contaminated the fingers of the right glove. Watch it again and you'll see that he touched the inside edges of the paper packet with his hands, then when he put on the right glove, its fingers brushed over the area his naked hand touched when he was smoothing down the edges of the inner paper packet.

Also, the inside of the second glove is not unsterile until you touch it, so you can lift it up using your (now sterile) thumb to get it out of the way of the paper, then pull your sterile thumb back while you slide your left hand in (he contaminated the fingers on the left glove the same way he did the right, by brushing them on the paper he touched earlier).

Get in the habit of lifting the glove well away from the paper and the table so there's no way you can touch the glove fingers to anything as you lift them and get into them. If you pull the inner paper packet open using the folded edges as handles, you can snap the inner liner snugly enough that it will not fold up on you. You should never touch the inner part of the paper the way he did.

[XalieHealbot]

I noticed that, too. I watched a different video with a few demonstrating and she touched the edge of the paper too. I've been practicing / pretending that I have to put one finger on the second glove cuff to separate if stuck and ensuring that I do not touch the cuff (other than the sterile portion) to glove without using my *sterile* thumb. I've been doing well. I keep practicing and imagining different possibilities. We don't get a second pair or a chance after this. Practice practice practice.

Thank you all for the input. I keep telling myself the pain now is worth it in the end.

[chare]

Thank you so much! The gloves we get are often times stuck together and we are told to figure it out by knowing the sterile field. This to me, while very important, isn't what would happen in the real setting. I feel that you would discard and get a new set of in some settings, you have assistance…

This. If I have to figure out how to separate the gloves by knowing the sterile field,” I'm going to dispose of these and get another pair, and it sounds as if that is what you would do as well.

I find it inexcusable that your instructor doesn't exercise a time out” and separate the gloves, placing them back in the package. And, that this ridiculousness could result in your being failed out of the program. However, and in the school lab setting only, if the instructor insists that you figure it out” you might try using the sterile wrap to hold one glove stationary, and grab the other glove by the cuff. If you opt to do this take care that you don't contaminate either of the gloves with the outer, unsterile portion of the wrap.

[Emergent, RN]

Just as a side note: I don't remember instructors threatening us with dismissal like this in nursing school. These check offs weren't this apocalyptic in nature, with our entire career hanging in the balance. Is this a for profit school?

[XalieHealbot]

This. If I have to figure out how to separate the gloves by knowing the sterile field,” I'm going to dispose of these and get another pair, and it sounds as if that is what you would do as well.

I find it inexcusable that your instructor doesn't exercise a time out” and separate the gloves, placing them back in the package. And, that this ridiculousness could result in your being failed out of the program. However, and in the school lab setting only, if the instructor insists that you figure it out” you might try using the sterile wrap to hold one glove stationary, and grab the other glove by the cuff. If you opt to do this take care that you don't contaminate either of the gloves with the outer, unsterile portion of the wrap.

Can you clarify, please? Open the wrapper and find that they are stuck, I can't close the wrapper back down to hold one glove in order to pick the other up and also unstick them? I could hold one glove down on the cuff while I pick up and unstick them, I just have to be double careful to not touch where I held the one down.