Gloves should only be worn: (1) when a point-of-care risk assessment indicates a risk of contact with broken skin, blood or body fluids, mucous membranes or contaminated surfaces (as per routine practices); (2) for situations where additional (contact) precautions are indicated; or (3) for contact with chemicals (e.g., during environmental cleaning, preparing chemotherapy, etc.). When a task requires gloves, they should be put on immediately beforehand and removed immediately after, at which point hands should be cleaned. Gloves are not necessary for social touch (e.g., shaking hands) or when contact is limited to intact skin (e.g., taking blood pressure, dressing a client) or clean surfaces. Don’t wear multiple layers of gloves and don’t substitute gloves for hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is the single most important way to prevent transmission of infection, and alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is the preferred method. If gloves must be worn, after cleaning hands, allow them to dry before putting on gloves to reduce the risk of chronic irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and colonization of hands. If hands are not visibly soiled, this risk could be reduced by avoiding handwashing and using ABHR instead.*
Sources:
* “An alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) is the preferred method of hand hygiene in healthcare settings, unless exceptions apply (i.e., when hands are visibly soiled with organic material, if exposure to norovirus and potential spore-forming pathogens such as Clostridium difficile is strongly suspected or proven, including outbreaks involving these organisms)”. Public Health Agency of Canada. Hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings [Internet]. 2012 [cited 2017 Sep 25].
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