Comparison of hand contamination rates and environmental contamination levels between two different glove removal methods and distances.
BACKGROUND
Gloves are a necessary contact precaution to prevent transmission of infectious pathogens that spread by direct or indirect contact with an infected person or a contaminated environment. This article reports a study investigating hand and environmental contamination levels when health care workers (HCWs) followed two different methods of removing gloves at two distances from the rubbish bin.


METHODS
Fifty HCWs performed a personal or causal glove removal method (pretest) and a Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-recommended glove removal method (posttest) at distances of 2 feet and 3 feet from the rubbish bin after the application of fluorescent solution (the simulated contaminant) onto their gloved hands.


RESULTS
The incidence of the small patch of fluorescent stain (<1 cm(2)) on the front of the doffed gloves was significantly lower in the posttest than in the pretest. The incidence of small and large patches (>1 cm(2)) on the front of the doffed gloves and on the cover of the rubbish bin was significantly lower at 3 feet than at 2 feet. Health care assistants had significantly higher levels of contamination than other HCWs in the pretest but not in the posttest. There was no significant difference in hand contamination rate between pretest and posttest based on distance from the rubbish bin and type of HCW.


CONCLUSIONS
The impact of the glove removal procedure and the distance to the bin in which used gloves are discarded should be taken into consideration on a daily basis, along with the supervision of infection control measures by minor staff.
Lai
Joanna Y F
JY
School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Guo
Y P
YP
Or
Peggy P L
PP
Li
Yi
Y
D000328:Adult; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006225:Hand; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal