Using disposable gloves: Overview
Disposable gloves are gloves that you use one time and then throw away. They can protect your health and the health of the person you're caring for. They help keep germs and infection from spreading to you and to the other person.
Use gloves whenever you might touch your loved one's body fluids, such as saliva, blood, urine, or stool. Use a new pair of gloves when you touch areas near a cut (incision) made by a doctor. And some people use gloves when bathing a loved one. Gloves can also be used when you put medicines on the skin and when you give shots.
Gloves do not protect you from poking your skin with sharp objects. So if you are handling sharp objects, such as needles, be sure that the object doesn't poke a hole in the glove. Handle these types of objects carefully.
Gloves can help prevent infection from body fluids. But if there are times when you choose not to use gloves or don't have any, keep your hands as clean as possible. After coming into contact with body fluids, wash your hands as soon as you can. And keep hand sanitizer available.
What are the types of disposable gloves?
Disposable gloves may be sterile or non-sterile. Your care team can tell you if you need to use sterile gloves, and they will give you special instructions about where to get them and how to use them. Most people do not need sterile gloves. Sterile gloves will be individually wrapped. Non-sterile disposable gloves are usually pulled out of a box or container.
Disposable gloves may be made from latex (rubber) or vinyl. If you or the person you're caring for is allergic to latex, be sure to use vinyl or non-latex gloves.
How do you put on and take off disposable gloves?
Be sure the gloves are the right size. They should fit close but should not be too tight. If the gloves are too big, they can slip or make it harder to grip things. If they're too small, they won't feel comfortable and they can tear.
Wash your hands well with soap, and rinse them with clean, running water. Then dry them well.
Hold the glove in one hand, and put your other hand into the glove.
Repeat with your other hand.
When you are ready to remove your gloves, remember that the outside of the gloves may be soiled. Be sure to take them off so that the soiled material stays away from your hands. Grab the cuff of the glove and pull it down so that the glove comes off of your hand inside out. Throw away the gloves in a plastic bag, and wash your hands.
Benefits of disposable gloves in healthcare
They offer chemical resistance
You'd be surprised to find that your natural rubber latex is originally sourced from the sap of a rubber tree. Latex is what offers your gloves the chemical resistance that you need from acids and other dangerous chemicals. This ensures that you're protected if you work in a lab that houses various chemical components. But if you're worried about a latex allergy, there are other alternatives, such as vinyl gloves, that you should consider using.
It's resistant to punctures
When you're in healthcare, you use a lot of needles to prick and probe your patients. Therefore, ensuring that you're not exposed to their blood when you're trying to get blood samples of any kind is essential. The great thing about choosing disposable gloves is that they won't be easily punctured should you make any mistakes while trying to draw blood from your patient. This should help you to avoid any cross-contamination. In addition, it should ensure that you don't expose yourself or your patients to unknown issues should your blood accidentally mix.
They're durable
If your job requires you to do different tasks throughout the day, you want adequate protection for your hands that won't break easily. Disposable gloves are the durable protection that you need to last you throughout the day. They're made from rubber tree sap. Since they're naturally sourced, they're made from natural and robust material. You should rest-assure that they won't snap when you least expect them to.
Comfort
Latex offers you flexibility and comfort. You don't have to worry about your hands being cramped after using these gloves for hours.
In summary, these gloves offer you a wide range of protection from free radicals when you work in an environment at high risk. In the healthcare industry, it's not only your health and safety that's a significant concern. The last thing you want to do is infect your patients with any potentially life-threatening diseases due to negligence. An almost sure way to ensure that this doesn't happen is by covering your hands with protective and durable gear such as your disposable latex gloves.
Nitrile vs Vinyl Gloves - A Detailed Comparison
What are the differences between nitrile vs vinyl gloves? Which is better for what purposes?
