- How to choose an exam glove: Types, usage & recommendations
How to choose an exam glove: Types, usage & recommendations
13 min read
In order to promote hand hygiene and help prevent cross-contamination between patients and staff, the CDC recommends glove use for all healthcare workers. It’s important to choose the right exam glove for your practice.
What’s the right fit for your practice?
When choosing an exam glove, there are many factors to consider, including:
- Your practice type
- The types of procedures performed
- Glove types available and their basic features
The type of glove to be used greatly depends on your practice type and the various procedures performed. Whether you’re performing frequent blood draws, seasonal flu tests, or yearly physical exams, the right glove can help protect patients and staff by reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Practice types & healthcare settings
The list below represents various healthcare settings that would be likely to utilize exam gloves.
- Physician Office/Specialty Clinic/Community Health Center
- Phlebotomy
- Laboratory
- Long Term Care
- Pharmacy/Oncology Clinic
- Home Care
- Urgent Care/Emergency Room
- Environmental Services
When to use exam gloves, and when they’re not needed
| Examination Gloves Indicated in Clinical Situations | Direct Patient Exposure | Indirect Patient Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Potential for touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions and items visibly soiled by body fluids. | – Contact with blood – Contact with mucous membrane and with non-intact skin – Potential presence of highly infectious and dangerous organism – Epidemic or emergency situations – IV insertion and removal; drawing blood – Discontinuation of venous line – Pelvic and vaginal examination – Suctioning non-closed systems of endotracheal tubes | – Emptying emesis basins – Handling/cleaning instruments – Handling waste – Cleaning up spills of body fluids |
| Gloves Not Indicated (except for CONTACT precautions) | Direct Patient Exposure | Indirect Patient Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| No potential for exposure to blood or body fluids, or contaminated environment. | – Taking blood pressure, temperature and pulse – Performing SC and IM injections – Bathing and dressing the patient – Transporting patient – Caring for eyes and ears (without secretions) – Any vascular line manipulation in absence of blood leakage | – Using the telephone – Writing in the patient chart – Giving oral medications – Distributing or collecting patient dietary trays – Removing and replacing linen for patient bed – Placing non-invasive ventilation equipment and oxygen cannula – Moving patient furniture |
Recommendations for the right fit
Now that you’ve considered your practice type and the procedures you perform, additional factors to consider while choosing the right glove include fit and comfort, elasticity and chemical resistance. The chart below offers basic recommendations based on glove type and common areas of concern.
| Barrier protection | Allergen Content | Strength and durability | elasticity | fit and comfort | chemical resistance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrile | Good Choice Provides good barrier protection | Good Choice Contains no latex proteins Can contain a low level of chemical allergens and curing agents | Good Choice Performs well with a modest tensile strength per the ASTM requirements | Good Choice Adequate flexibility Does exhibit some memory and moldability | Good Choice Provides good comfort and fit due to increased memory and elasticity | Best Choice Provides good resistance to many chemicals See chemical resistance chart |
| Latex | Best Choice Provides good barrier protection | Not Recommended Contains protein and chemical allergens; check with specific manufacturer for allergen content | Best Choice Performs well with a modest tensile strength per the ASTM requirements | Best Choice High flexibility and memory | Best Choice Provides excellent comfort and fit due to its high elasticity Retains its shape and fit during rigorous manipulation | Good Choice Provides good resistance to many chemicals See chemical resistance chart |
| Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride) | Not Recommended May tear when put under significant stress, so protection is limited | Good Choice Contains no latex proteins Can contain some curing agents and other chemical ingredients | Not Recommended Can break or puncture when put under tensile strain | Good Choice Exhibits some stretchability and memory | Not Recommended Limited elasticity Fit and comfort can be limited Wrist diameter can be large, making gloves baggy around the cuff after extended use | Not Recommended Easily permeated by organic solvents |
Chemical resistance ratings for nitrile & latex gloves
In some healthcare settings, chemical resistance is one of the more important factors to consider when choosing an exam glove. The below chart offers an overview of chemicals that may be found in healthcare settings, along with their resistance ratings for nitrile and latex gloves.
| Chemical | Nitrile Resistance rating | latex resistance rating |
|---|---|---|
| Acetaldehyde* | Good | Good |
| Ammonium Hydroxide | Very Good | Very Good |
| Citric Acid (10%) | Very Good | Very Good |
| Cyclohexanol | Very Good | Fair |
| Ethyl Alcohol | Very Good | Very Good |
| Ethyl Ether* | Good | Good |
| Formaldehyde | Very Good | Very Good |
| Formic Acid | Very Good | Very Good |
| Hydrogen Peroxide (30%) | Good | Good |
| Lactic Acid (85%) | Very Good | Very Good |
| Oleic Acid | Very Good | Very Good |
| Oxalic Acid | Very Good | Fair |
| Palmitic Acid | Very Good | Very Good |
| Phenol | Fair | Fair |
| Potassium Hydroxide | Very Good | Very Good |
| Propyl Alcohol (Iso) | Very Good | Very Good |
| Sodium Hydroxide | Very Good | Very Good |
| Tannic Acid | Very Good | Very Good |
| Triethanolamine (85%) | Very Good | Very Good |
| Xylene* | Fair | Poor |