The infection prevention team at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust are promoting their ‘gloves off’ message, explaining to patients when disposable gloves are not needed and at the same time promoting a greener NHS.
It’s important to explain that gloves are not needed during activities such as:
- Taking patients’ vitals (e.g. blood pressure, temperature etc.)
- Examining or touching a patient (where there is no contact with blood or body fluids, non-intact skin, mucous membranes or harmful drugs or chemicals.)
- Assisting a patient with food and drink
- Giving vaccinations
- Administration tasks near a patient (e.g. answering the phone, using the computer)
- Moving a patient’s belongings
- Tidying the bedspace.
There’s also an important focus on reducing plastic waste and promoting a Greener NHS. Due to unnecessary glove use, around 1.1 billion gloves are used in the NHS each year which contributes to the planet’s plastic and microplastic problem.
It’s also important for good skin health for staff, as inappropriate glove use can lead to skin conditions like dermatitis for staff, as well as the spread of infection and cross-contamination if hand washing is not done whilst wearing gloves.
Infection prevention lead nurse at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Arlene Beausire, said:
“We want our patients and visitors to understand that gloves aren’t always needed and it’s not just that staff have forgotten to put them on. Evidence shows that clean hands are as effective a barrier as non-sterile gloves.”
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