Donning Sterile Gloves
617 STUDENTS ENROLLED
Gloves used in healthcare are single-use disposable gloves. They are used to reduce the risk of contamination of healthcare workers hands with blood and body fluids, including contact with mucous membranes and non-intact skin (SA Health 2016). Disposable gloves are packaged as either non-sterile or sterile.
Sterile gloves are used for a variety of reasons including:
- surgical ANTT procedures
- any contact with sterile sites
- maintenance of sterility
- protection of client
- protection of healthcare worker
- performing complex wound dressings
- performing some invasive procedures (e.g. inserting an indwelling urinary catheter).
A risk assessment must be performed to determine whether non-sterile or sterile gloves should be used for a particular procedure.
It is important to follow organisational policies and procedures for when to don sterile gloves, as this may vary in different healthcare settings.