Properly putting on and taking off protective gloves, often referred to as donning and doffing, is crucial for preventing the spread of germs and ensuring personal safety. Adhering to the correct technique minimizes the risk of self-contamination and cross-contamination to others or the environment.
How to Put On Protective Gloves (Donning)
Putting on gloves correctly involves several steps to ensure your hands remain protected and the gloves are not compromised before use.
- Perform Hand Hygiene: Always start by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not readily available. Ensure your hands are completely dry before proceeding. For more details on proper handwashing, refer to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Inspect Gloves: Before donning, quickly inspect the gloves for any tears, holes, or defects. Damaged gloves offer no protection and should be discarded.
- Select Correct Size: Choose gloves that fit snugly but comfortably. Gloves that are too large can slip, while those that are too small can tear or restrict movement.
- Donning Technique:
- Hold the glove by the cuff.
- Slide one hand into the glove, ensuring your fingers and thumb are properly seated in the glove's digits.
- Repeat the process for the other hand.
- Adjust the gloves so they cover your wrists, ideally extending over the cuffs of your gown or sleeve if wearing one, to create a continuous barrier.
- Avoid Touching Contaminated Surfaces: Once gloved, avoid touching unnecessary surfaces, especially your face, hair, or clothing, to prevent unintended cross-contamination.
How to Take Off Protective Gloves (Doffing)
Proper glove removal is paramount to prevent the contaminated outer surface of the gloves from touching your bare skin or spreading contaminants to the environment. This is often referred to as the "glove-in-glove" method.
- The "Glove-in-Glove" Method (Most Common Way):
- Step 1: Grasp the First Glove: With your right hand, firmly grasp the wrist section of the left-hand glove. Crucially, do not touch your bare skin.
- Step 2: Peel Off the First Glove: Pull the left glove off inside out, ensuring your right hand does not contact the skin on your left hand.
- Step 3: Bunch the First Glove: Continue to hold the removed (now inside-out) left glove in your gloved right hand.
- Step 4: Prepare to Remove the Second Glove: With the fingers of your left hand (which are now clean, as they were inside the first glove), slide a couple of fingers under the edge of the right glove's cuff. Again, be careful to avoid touching the outer, contaminated surface of the right glove.
- Step 5: Peel Off the Second Glove: Slide the right glove over your right hand. As you do this, the second glove will enclose the first bunched-up glove inside itself, creating a neat, contained package of contaminated material.
- Immediate Disposal: Dispose of the contaminated gloves immediately into a designated waste bin. Single-use gloves should never be reused.
- Perform Hand Hygiene After Doffing: As soon as gloves are removed and discarded, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. This step is non-negotiable, as microscopic particles may still be present on your hands. For comprehensive guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE) and its use, consult resources like the CDC's PPE guidelines.
Important Considerations for Glove Use
Understanding when and how to use gloves effectively goes beyond just donning and doffing.
- When to Use Gloves: Gloves are appropriate when there is a risk of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, contaminated items, or non-intact skin. They are not a substitute for hand hygiene.
- Change Gloves Regularly: Change gloves between tasks or procedures on the same patient if there's contact with material that may contain high concentrations of microorganisms. Always change gloves between patients to prevent cross-contamination.
- Avoid Cross-Contamination: Never touch clean surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, phones, medical charts) with contaminated gloves.
- Training and Practice: Regular training and practice can significantly improve the efficacy of glove donning and doffing techniques, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.
Quick Reference Table: Glove Donning vs. Doffing
| Aspect | Donning (Putting On) | Doffing (Taking Off) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To protect hands from potential contaminants. | To prevent contamination of bare hands and the environment. |
| Key First Step | Thorough hand hygiene (washing/sanitizing). | Avoid touching the outer (contaminated) surface. |
| Primary Technique | Carefully slide hands in, ensure proper fit and coverage. | "Glove-in-glove" method (peeling inside out). |
| Post-Procedure | Avoid touching face/clean surfaces with gloved hands. | Immediate disposal, followed by thorough hand hygiene. |
Why Proper Technique Matters
Using gloves incorrectly or removing them improperly can negate their protective purpose and significantly contribute to the spread of infection. For instance, touching your face with a contaminated glove or touching a clean doorknob after working with hazardous materials can spread germs to yourself or others. Adhering to proper procedures protects not only the wearer but also those around them by maintaining a clean environment and breaking the chain of infection.
