Glove usage is fundamental when attending to different aspects of a patient’s health. It has become protective equipment in everyday clinical practice since it reduces the transmission of microorganisms between healthcare providers and patients. It also prevents the skin from coming into contact with chemicals, harmful drugs, and different cleaning agents. Don your gloves when there is a risk of infection, when in direct contact with blood, body fluids or non-intact skin or mucous membranes.
As such, choosing the right clove for the right medical use is important. You need not have a medical exam paper to know the importance of choosing the right gloves. However, these tips should help you in knowing how to go about it. They are also helpful if you are purchasing gloves from places like Bell.com
Tips to help you choose the right medical gloves
When choosing the right gloves, you have different options in terms of materials. They include latex, Vinyl, and nitrile. You have to know the properties and the functions you expect from the gloves that you choose, which also depends on the task. This is not a medical exam paper, but here are a few tips you can consider when choosing the right glove.
Strength and resilience
Regardless of the medical purpose of your chosen gloves, they are not supposed to tear. Latex and nitrile gloves are stronger than vinyl gloves, making them suitable for medical tasks that have more stress. Resilience and strength of the gloves emanate from thickness, and it does not take away sensitivity or feeling.
Sensitivity and feeling
If the task you are about to perform involves feeling for a vein or handling instruments, you need sensitivity. Get close fitting and stretchy latex gloves for this task. Nitrile gloves can work, but they have less sensitivity compared to latex gloves. More so, do not even think about choosing vinyl gloves.’
Snug fit
If you want comfort and dexterity, o for gloves that fit well and have not loose areas. Latex material is the best choice especially when you want to manipulate your fingers easily.
Tear resistant gloves
Gloves have to be stretchy, failure to which they become susceptible to tearing especially when wearing them or when in use. Nitrile and latex are tear resistant even though there is a risk of a tear in some environments. However, nitrile and latex gloves are treated inside to reduce tearing and make donning easier.
Chemical resistance
Nitrile gloves are resistance to different chemicals, but latex has poor resistance especially to oil-based chemicals. In a medical situation where chemical resistance is needed, you have to check the PPE certifications.
Every medical task has a glove, and you only need to know the properties and consult the product specs before you can buy it.