3 2 S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E M A Y 2 0 1 5
Still, 8% of
respondents say
they feel the
practice doesn't
make much of a
difference.
Research has
shown otherwise,
according to Ms.
Ogg. She notes
that multiple
studies have con-
cluded that dou-
ble-gloving pro-
vides an extra
layer of protec-
tion against
punctures and
contamination.
There is very
strong research
out there to sup-
port double-gloving, says Ms. Ogg.
"Double-gloving is literally putting personal safety into your own hands," she
adds. "Using a neutral zone or safety scalpel may be dependent on other team
members, but you make that decision to put on 2 pairs of gloves."
OSM
E-mail kgapinski@outpatientsurgery.net.
Need another reason to double-glove? A recent study suggests it can make
removing personal protective equipment (PPE) that much easier and safer.
The report (osmag.net/1smEYR) in the American Journal of Infection
Control looked at virus transfer to healthcare workers' skin and clothing dur-
ing removal of PPE when wearing single gloves versus 2 pairs of gloves.
In the study, participants donned PPE — contact isolation gowns, N95 res-
pirators, eye protection and latex gloves — that was then covered with bacte-
riophage, a virus that infects bacteria. Participants removed the PPE, and the
worker's hands, face and scrubs were sampled for the virus.
The study found that the transfer of the virus to the hands of the partici-
pants during PPE removal
was significantly more fre-
quent with single-gloving
than with double-gloving.
Not only that, the
researchers say significantly
more of the virus was
found on participants'
hands after single-gloving
than double-gloving.
— Kendal Gapinski
VIRUS PROTECTION
More Evidence For Double-Gloving
z DOUBLE PROTECTION
Double-gloving helps
keep workers safer when
removing PPE, according
to a new study.
