Are gloves no longer used by medical staff?

[gordyslovesheep]

Genuine question really as I was a bit puzzled (although not outraged or shaken or distressed in anyway ) yesterday when I gave blood and every single person didn't wear gloves

Not the nurse who took my history, pricked my finger, squeezed it and used a pipette to collect a sample or the scary nurse who swabbed my arm, stuck a big needle in, took 3 blood samples and a full pint off me.

I was just a bit taken a back - I guess I am old school C1981 don't die of ignorance when everyone who came within 10 feet of blood wore a space suit

so is this lack of gloves normal now - it didn't bother me massively just made me do a double take

Interestingly WHO say hand rub only effective for 5 uses and every 6 th time it should be a full hand wash.

Teacup as a dentist you're in contact with spit which is much more dangerous than blood in terms of carrying and transmitting infection. But equally if a hcp was dealing with an area covered in blood (in the same way the mouth is covered in spit) it would be foolish not to wear gloves. Also the mouth picks up infection in a way intact skin doesn't so clean gloves are important for the patient too.

Weirdly enough among nurses, doctors and phlebotomists needlesticks happen most often in areas other than the hands. They are trained to be so careful with their hands that it's relatively rare to fumble and stick yourself as you're taking blood - it's more common to slip/get distracted and stick yourself before or after the procedure. One doctor I know was speared in the face with a (sterile unused) needle by a gesticulating fellow doctor.

Another doctor here who doesn't wear gloves for this for all the reasons mentioned. I do make sure I clean my hands so the patient can see me doing it though, with alcohol gel or at a sink.

Cat - that's because the gel kills bacteria but only moves the actual dirt around. Dirt builds up in the creases of the hands so each time you use the gel it gets less and less effective. Washing is needed to clear out dirt and give the gel a clear surface to work on. Overall as far as I can remember a routine of thorough wash - 3-4 apps of gel - thorough wash is the most practical and effective. A thorough wash every time is most effective but just not practical. Lack of time causes slapdash washing which is less effective than gel. Plus constant washing destroys your skin.
For simple procedures gloves are just pointless really unless your hand hygiene is really poor.

Gloves are not sterile, unless they are disposable surgical gloves.

Washing hands after patient and using hand gel after is the best practise

I presume- I work in a hospital and it baffled me too- that it has to do with dermatitis. A lot of people who wear gloves - and it used to just be latex but it's also nitrile now too- end up with bad dermatitis. It's due to the original overuse years ago.

I know some people whose hands crack and burn and then can't put on gloves and work. You see signs all over hospitals about dermatitis where staff work. When I see people not wearing gloves it does make me double take but given how hot most places are on safety (often too much so) I guess that they've done a risk assessment and it's seen that the risk of infection is negligent or balanced against something else.

Not in a medical setting but i used to get v ticked off with local sandwich shop. They used to wear gloves when making and handling food etc., but keep them on when taking money/giving back change

I wear gloves when taking blood sugars to protect myself from the blood.

When I used to take bloods I didn't always wear gloves because palpating a vein is difficult with gloves on. Although it's ideal to wear gloves; it's not always practical.

But with most patient contact I wear gloves. I wash my hands and change gloves between patients.

Gloves are to protect the hcp from coming into contact wit blood born viruses. About 80 per cent of the viruses are negated if the hcp is wearing gloves when a needlestick injury occurs.

Hands should be washed prior to putting on gloves and washed after taking them off.

I always wear gloves when taking blood etc for my own protection.