Sterile technique & sweaty hands

[MoLee228]

I am learning sterile technique this week and I am having some problems with getting sterile gloves on. I tend to be a little sweaty in general, but when I am nervous, my hands are always sweaty. I actually use a few prescribed treatments for hyperhidrosis, none of which work very well for me . I sometimes have a hard time getting on clean gloves, but sterile gloves are just about impossible. I prefer powdered gloves because I can actually get those on, but the purple nitrile sterile gloves are my nemesis. I am afraid I will fail my skill check because I can't get the stupid things on ! I know how to follow sterile technique, I just can't do the gloves.

Does anyone have a solution for me? Obviously I wash my hands immediately before putting the gloves on, so they are dry for about a second (haha) but by the time I open up the pack I'm sweaty and it all goes downhill from there. I am far more nervous about getting gloves on than I am about doing any procedure! Strange, hu? :chuckle

PLEASE HELP ME if you have any tips or at least if this has happened to you before, share what you did in the situation. I'm sure even nursing students who don't sweat a lot have probably been nervous for a procedure and had sweaty palms. :plsebeg:

[FlyingScot, RN]

Wash as normal and rinse then rinse again in cold water. Dry thoroughly but quickly.

[NurseJeanB]

I have the same problem!! Even if my hands aren't sweaty they usually are damp from washing.

I always go for a larger size glove and I have to slow myself down. When someone is watching me, I get nervous and try to get the gloves on quickly and I end up taking longer. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. Take care,

Jean

[MoLee228]

I'm happy to know I'm not alone! That is good advice to use larger gloves...the ones in the kits are "one size fits all" but our instructors told us we could get different size sterile gloves from the omni cell if we needed them. Do you think I should tell my instructors about my problem? I am embarassed so I try to hide it when I can. Did you tell your instructors?

[NurseJeanB]

No, I didn't mention it to the instructor. I think it is fairly common that gloves that come in prepackaged kits might not fit everyone. Whenever there is a skill that requires gloves. I just grab a larger size and have it on hand.(I just realized that sounded funny. Haha) I have medium size hands, but I end up putting on large. That way when my hands get sweaty I don't struggle as much to pull them on.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Oh my gosh yes get a size larger than you need. I have the same issues too. It was murder for me on my first checkoff when the kit came with a 6 and I wear an 8.5 Trying to squash my hand in that while im scared to death of failing made it even worse.