Understanding the Issues of Double Gloving

CONCLUSION

Two gloves are better than one. The history of double glove use as well as current research has shown that the incidence of perforations during glove use is lower, at times as much as 10 to 1, when using double gloving verses single gloving. There are ways to implement double gloving that increase comfort and protection. By wearing gloves of proper size and by changing them regularly, glove safety can be increased still further.

At the end of the day, whether or not to use a double glove technique is your personal choice, and each individual should evaluate the potential for injury against his or her need for safety. The responsibility for decreasing the risk of occupational exposure and disease transmission of bloodborne infections is a shared one.

Each individual healthcare worker must make a commitment to utilize the necessary personal protective equipment recommended and proven effective in decreasing the risk of occupational exposure in the operating room. It is impossible to distinguish blood and body fluid that are infected with harmful organisms from those not infected unless previous testing has been done, and even then some risk is present. Diligent use of double gloving when scrubbed has been found to significantly reduce occupational exposure in the operating room.

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