Sterile gloves serve as a barrier in fields like healthcare and scientific research to prevent microorganism transfer. Maintaining sterility means keeping an area free from living microorganisms, minimizing contamination and infection risk.
Preparation for Donning
Proper preparation is crucial for maintaining sterility when donning gloves. Begin with thorough hand hygiene, washing hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub. This step significantly reduces microorganisms on your hands, minimizing contamination risk before glove application.
Select a clean, dry, and flat surface at waist level or slightly above for the glove package. Before opening, inspect the package for tears, punctures, moisture, or an expired date. A damaged package indicates compromised sterility, rendering the gloves unsuitable.
Selecting the correct glove size is essential for comfort and effectiveness. Gloves that are too large may slip, while those too small can tear, compromising the sterile barrier. Position the package to open the outer wrapper without touching the inner sterile contents.
The Donning Process
Begin by carefully opening the outer wrapper of the sterile glove package without touching the inner package or gloves. Place the exposed inner package on the clean, dry surface at waist level. Open it by unfolding the flaps, touching only the outer edges or flaps, as the inside surface and the gloves are considered sterile.
To don the first glove, grasp its folded cuff with your non-dominant hand. Hold the glove by this inner cuff, ensuring your bare fingers only touch the part against your skin. Gently slide your dominant hand into the glove, keeping your fingers together and thumb tucked to avoid touching the outside. Leave the cuff folded down.
For the second glove, use your gloved dominant hand to slip two fingers under the cuff of the ungloved one. Lift the second glove, keeping it away from non-sterile surfaces, and slide your non-dominant hand into it. After both gloves are on, adjust them for a secure and comfortable fit, touching only their sterile outer surfaces. Keep your gloved hands elevated and in front of you, above waist level, to maintain sterility.
Safe Removal of Sterile Gloves
Proper removal of sterile gloves is essential to prevent contamination of the wearer and the surrounding environment. This process minimizes the spread of pathogens that may have accumulated on the glove surfaces during use. Incorrect removal can transfer contaminants to hands or other surfaces.
To remove the first glove, grasp the palm area of one gloved hand with your other gloved hand. Pull the glove off, turning it inside out as it comes away from your hand. This technique traps contaminants on the inside. Continue to hold the removed, inside-out glove in the palm of your remaining gloved hand.
For the second glove, slip two fingers of your ungloved one underneath the cuff of the remaining one. Pull this glove off, turning it inside out as well, and ensure it envelops the first removed glove. This creates a bundle where contaminated outer surfaces are contained within the inverted gloves. Dispose of the bundled gloves immediately into an appropriate waste receptacle. Perform hand hygiene again to remove any potential contaminants that may have transferred during the process.
Common Errors to Avoid
Several common errors can compromise glove sterility and increase contamination risk. One frequent mistake is touching non-sterile surfaces with sterile gloves, which immediately breaks the sterile barrier. This includes inadvertently touching skin, clothing, or unprepared surfaces after the gloves have been donned. Another error occurs during package opening, where the inner sterile contents or gloves are touched by ungloved hands or non-sterile parts of the wrapper.
Ignoring tears, punctures, or other defects in the gloves is a significant oversight, as even a small hole can compromise the protective barrier and allow microorganisms to pass through. Failing to perform proper hand hygiene before donning sterile gloves also undermines the process, as microorganisms on the hands can contaminate the inside of the gloves or even the outer surface during donning. Using an incorrect glove size, whether too large or too small, can lead to reduced dexterity, discomfort, and an increased likelihood of tearing or accidental contamination.