Understanding the Issues of Double Gloving

DONNING AND CHANGING STERILE GLOVES

Sterile surgical gloves should be inspected immediately upon donning and before contact with sterile supplies and tissue. Sterile gloves should be changed:

• After each patient contact;
• When a visible defect is noted;
• When suspected or actual contamination occurs;
• When a suspected or actual perforation from a needle, suture, bone or other event occurs;
• Immediately following direct contact with uncured methyl methacrylate (bone cement);
• When an unintentional electrical shock from electrosurgical unit is received to the hand;
• When gloves begin to swell, expand and become loose on the wearer’s hands as a result of the material’s absorption of fluid and fats; and
• According to organizational policy.

Change the outer glove at set intervals of one to two hours during the length of the procedure. This takes very little time to do, and adds additional protection to the user when double gloving from any invisible or microperforations that may be present in either the inner or outer gloves.

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