Gloves & Avoidable Waste
Oct 03, 2024
Take a moment or 5 - do you really need those gloves? ๐ค
How many times in a shift would you don a pair of gloves? ๐งค
In the hustle and bustle of a busy shift, it's easy to throw on some gloves for the various tasks you do without so much as a second thought - but do you really need them? And does it matter if you wear them or not? ๐คทโ๏ธ
Non-sterile gloves should be worn for any task where there is a risk of exposure to blood, bodily fluids, or surfaces and equipment that could be contaminated by infectious or cytotoxic agents. ๐ฉธ
In these instances - gloves have been shown to reduce contamination and infection for staff and patients. ๐ฅ
What’s the problem then? There are 2 really big ones! โ ๏ธ
Infection control ๐ฆ
๐ฆ The misuse or overuse of gloves has actually been shown to increase the risk of contamination and infection transmission due to poorer compliance with hand hygiene. ๐ซ๐งผ
๐ฆ Excessive glove use can cause occupational dermatitis, leading to breaks and micro cuts in the lovely natural protective barrier that is your skin. ๐ฅบ
๐ฆ Gloves that are not changed between individual patient tasks spread contaminants to other surfaces, equipment, and patients! ๐
Environmental impact ๐
๐On average, 30 pairs of gloves are used in a 12-hour shift for a single patient! ๐ฒ
๐Across the Hunter New England District (NSW), ~28.3 million gloves are used per year - the carbon footprint of that is equivalent to 175 trips around Australia in a fuel-efficient car! ๐๐จ
๐National statistics on annual glove use are hard to come by, but to give you some perspective, the revenue generated from sales of medical gloves in Australia in 2023 was $140 million! ๐ฐ๐ฒ
What can you do? ๐คทโ๏ธ
Before you pull on that pair of gloves, ask yourself three simple questions:
๐งค Why are you wearing gloves? โ
๐งค Who or what are you trying to protect? ๐ก๏ธ
๐งค Are gloves the best choice for this? ๐
Always remember your 5 moments of hand hygiene - and spare a moment for the environment too! ๐ฑ
Build Knowledge โ
Improve Safety โ
Refs:
ACSQHC (2024) Sustainable glove use for healthcare workers. https://shorturl.at/cXooK
HNELHD (2024) Gloves Off! https://shorturl.at/u0fdG
Horizon Grand View Research (2024) Australian disposable medical gloves market size and outlook. https://shorturl.at/fYU7F
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