A doctor or nurse wearing disposable medical gloves is a common sight in any hospital or doctor’s surgery. They are worn to reduce the risk of contamination and ensure that the healthcare worker’s hands do not come into contact with blood and other body fluids such as saliva, mucous membranes or vomit. In this article, you’ll discover which gloves are best for medical use.
The importance of hand hygiene in the medical industry means that they are an essential piece of PPE to reduce the risk of transmission of infection or the spread of germs. Put simply, medical gloves are the first line of defence against disease and illness.
Why are Medical Gloves Worn
Maintaining high standards of hygiene and protection is essential for workers across the medical industry. If you come into contact with a patient’s bodily fluids such as blood, vomit or urine then you definitely want to be wearing disposable medical gloves.
They are also worn to protect the patient, providing a barrier between them and their healthcare worker. They can also make your patients feel more comfortable and at ease when undergoing general examinations or non-invasive procedures. Medical gloves let them know that they are being well cared for. They symbolise a high level of care and professionalism.
How Often do Medical Gloves Need to be Changed?
Your disposable medical gloves should be changed after every use. Whether you are wearing them for general examinations or surgical procedures, they are always intended to be single use.
In the medical industry, keeping both your staff and patients safe is essential. Disposable gloves provide a protective barrier between patient and wearer, and serve to prevent the transmission of infections or illnesses. They should be discarded after each care activity and disposed of according to local policy.
Who Might Wear Medical Gloves?
Anyone who comes into contact with patients or customers should know their workplace policy on glove wearing and adhere to it. This is both for your protection and that of those you come into contact with. People who might wear disposable medical gloves include:
- Surgeons, Doctors and Nurses
- Other Medical and Healthcare Professionals
- Dentists
- Lab Workers
- Tattoo Artists
- Employees in the Beauty Industry
What to Look For in Disposable Medical Gloves
Coloured Gloves
The standard colours used for disposable medical gloves are either blue or white. This is because blue or white gloves ensure it is easy to see if the glove fails or tears. This is vitally important so that you can easily see if a glove has become compromised and any potential contamination has occurred.
Nitrile vs Latex
Hospitals use both latex and nitrile disposable medical gloves. They often have both options available for their staff and patients. However, latex allergies are fairly common and exposure to latex can cause dermatitis. For this reason, nitrile gloves are becoming the preference for many healthcare settings.
Sterile Gloves vs Non-Sterile Gloves
Hospitals use both sterile and non-sterile gloves.
Non-sterile gloves can be used for general examinations such as examining a patient’s limbs or glands. But they are more commonly worn where wearers might come into contact with infectious substances, bodily fluids or broken skin.
According to online educational resource to the NHS and various healthcare companies, Clinical Skills, “Clean non-sterile gloves should be worn when coming into contact with mucous membranes or broken skin, and for any activities that carry a risk of exposure to blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions, or with sharp or contaminated instruments”.
Sterile gloves are used to prevent the introduction of infections. The sterile nature of these disposable medical gloves mean that they offer greater protection for the patient against germs and infection. Generally these are used by surgeons who deal with invasive procedures like:
• Surgical procedures
• Suturing
• Catheterisation
• Insertion of central/tunnelled lines and drains
• Invasive investigations such as bone-marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture
The Best Medical Gloves
So which gloves are best for medical use? The answer depends on your individual needs but in short, the best type of disposable gloves for use in hospitals are powder-free nitrile gloves. They offer the same high level of protection, durability and comfort as their latex counterpart without the risk of skin reactions. Here at Easy Gloves we offer an extensive range of non-sterile examination gloves. We’ll highlight which of the gloves sold here are the best medical gloves.
Blue Medical Gloves
We recommend: Aurelia Gloves Robust Blue Nitrile Gloves
As previously mentioned, blue is an industry standard colour for use in medical environments. Manufactured in accordance with European PPE Directive 89/686/EEC, these powder-free blue ambidextrous nitrile gloves reduce the absorption of environmental allergens or bacteria. They are rated AQL 1.5 medical grade.
White Medical Gloves
We recommend: Aurelia Gloves Vibrant Latex Gloves
Also commonly found in medical settings are white medical gloves. Again, these offer great visibility on the rare occurrence that they become compromised. Made from chlorinated powder-free latex, these gloves are also AQL 1.5 medical grade.
Thick Nitrile Gloves
We recommend: Aurelia Gloves Robust Nitrile Gloves
These thick medical grade gloves are made from 4.5ml extra strong nitrile. They offer the highest level of strength, dependability, tear- and chemical resistance. If you’re looking in particular for puncture resistant medical gloves then these are an ideal choice.
Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves
We recommend: Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves
Single-use importantly improves hygiene and prevents contamination. But for those who are more concerned about the nature of disposable medical gloves, we also offer a biodegradable option. These biodegradable blue nitrile gloves reduce the absorption of environmental allergens or bacteria, and are rated AQL 1.5 medical grade.
Where to Buy Medical Gloves
This guide explored the best medical gloves and answered common questions such as ‘how often do medical gloves need to be changed?’ Importantly, the answer to your query ‘where to buy medical gloves’ couldn’t be simpler. You’ll find everything you need and more here at Easy Gloves, your first choice for disposable medical gloves.
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