Walmart cashiers wearing gloves?

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Hi everyone, just curious about others opinion. A few times when visiting walmart, cashiers were wearing gloves. I asked what was the reason for doing so, and they did not want to say. I'm sure its for "avoiding" illnesses but wearing gloves all day without handwashing won't help. I feel as if there's a greater chance of getting an airborne illness. How do you all feel about wearing gloves as a cashier? I somewhat find it annoying and offensive. I feel as if having hand sanitizer at each counter would suffice.

As a former cashier, people hand over pretty gross money. Sweaty boob money (and money from other inventful places) is common, and can scar your psyche. Even if you could wash your hands immediately after handling it, wouldnt you wish you had gloves on to do it? I'm sure they wear them all the time so they can avoid offending someone by putting gloves on in front of them to handle their money. I think gloves AND sanitizer are a great idea.

1 Votes
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Jedrnurse said:
Okay. BUT...if they don't change the gloves frequently (and I suspect they don't), wouldn't they just end up with germ encrusted gloves, spreading the same microorganisms as they would with bare hands on everything they touch? (Including the customer's items that they are bagging?)

This thought has crossed my mind many times. From the point of view as a customer, I've never seen a cashier wear gloves, except once when a guy by himself at the Taco Bell drive-thru window, while wearing gloves, literally wiped a copious stream of mucous from his nose, then proceeded to plunge that gloved hand in his bin of shredded lettuce, formerly destined to be part of my taco.

That dissociated any connection I ever made between "gloves" and "clean".

I wouldn't be offended in the least to see a Walmart cashier wearing gloves, because I don't think it's due to their fear of catching a disease from customers. Many customers share their germs by spewing them through the air, and many appear to think that's what you're supposed to do when you feel a sneeze or hacking cough coming on. Likewise, maybe they're unable to prevent their child from unexpectedly barfing all over everything. I felt terrible about that.

1 Votes
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Jedrnurse said:
Okay. BUT...if they don't change the gloves frequently (and I suspect they don't), wouldn't they just end up with germ encrusted gloves, spreading the same microorganisms as they would with bare hands on everything they touch? (Including the customer's items that they are bagging?)

Unless we're talking sterile gloves used for sterile procedures, gloves protect the wearer, not anyone else. Of course they carry just as many microbes as skin. When you wear gloves for "everything" you're really protecting yourself (whether or not there's anything to protect yourself from). Your gloves provide no protection to anyone else.

1 Votes
Specializes in Practice educator.

This reminds me of a recent BBC documentary where they swabbed trolleys and found a load of microbes, I imagine most of it is scaremongering about dirty money. I mean, you have people suggesting opiod overdose just form touch alone...

But, I don't really care, its like people wearing surgical masks around town as if that is going to make any difference (Unless you have the virus, its quite good to prevent spray, but just use a tissue). I guess it only bothers me for the sheer waste of materials.

1 Votes

I think many of you are overthinking the use of gloves.

As anyone who has worked retail can attest to, being a retail cashier can be dirty and sticky job. Having gloves not only means that you can avoid handling smelly boob sweat money but it also provides you with an increased traction or grip on the money instead of having to use wet sponges to wet your fingers.

1 Votes
osceteacher said:
This reminds me of a recent BBC documentary where they swabbed trolleys and found a load of microbes, I imagine most of it is scaremongering about dirty money. I mean, you have people suggesting opiod overdose just form touch alone...

But, I don't really care, its like people wearing surgical masks around town as if that is going to make any difference (Unless you have the virus, its quite good to prevent spray, but just use a tissue). I guess it only bothers me for the sheer waste of materials.

Many times the surgical masks are also used to reduce inspiration of particulate matter. You can see a rise in their use in the Pacific Northwest of the United States where the fires are so bad that the air smells like a campfire.

It is not uncommon to even see people using durable respirators, the kind that look like a half gas mask, with N100 cartridges. Stanford and others recommends their Onc and pulmo patients wear these style of respirators.

1 Votes

Maybe the cashier had a low immune system and don't want to share that information with anyone or like someone else said here on this forum they maybe have a cut or a draining wound with pus and then it is obvious why they are wearing gloves. Also, another reason might be to protect the nails/manicure? Also, they might have extremely dry hands and are wearing lotion and the gloves are locking in the moisture for them. Plus, money and credit cards are dirty so maybe they just want to limit amount of germs they are in contact with. I do not find anything offensive in wearing the gloves. As in nursing, it is to protect the person wearing the gloves and also the person in the direct contact.

1 Votes
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Remember that classy old Paul Masson wine commercial with Orson Welles?

Amethya said:
sticky money from a woman's boobs...
divmndprincss said:
nasty coins that are very dirty, sometimes wet.
broughden said:
sweaty "boob bra" money
Mudpinesredneck said:
a wet dollar bill... wallet fell in the toilet

I'm sure Sam Walton could have made a wine commercial just as classy!

1 Votes
Specializes in Geriatrics.

Paper cuts are a B***h!!!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ maybe?

Handling paper (money) all day can dry out your hands too. Also, I find it easier to turn pages in charts/narc books faster if I'm wearing gloves.

Who knows...

I have thought about this too though and thought, I wonder how many people's money or debit card they've touched with those gloves and then touched mine. Same could go for bare hands though unless they wash them frequently.

0 Votes
Specializes in Cardiac Care.
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Bwahahaha!

0 Votes

Literally something that will never be on my radar...ever.

I just want my 2am chips and guac.

1 Votes

Snopes did a pretty good job of evaluating the varying claims with concern to skin contact risk of fentanyl/carfentanil powder. The CDC initially warned first responders of such a risk and later amended that as incorrect. Good sources, including medical ones, are cited in the link below.

Some police in my area continue to wear gloves for this purpose, according to them - however, the claim that effects can occur through transdermal powder contact have been evaluated as extremely unlikely (if not impossible) by medical experts, including the CDC.

I can see why the conflicting comments from CDC, DEA and others over the last couple of years have caused so much confusion, though.

FACT CHECK: Police Chief Warns of Fentanyl Overdose Risk from Residue on Shopping Carts?

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