Surgical Gloves, Protecting your medical team from the pathogens present in blood and other body fluids is important. When your medical team is protected, that will mean the prevention of transmission of illnesses.
Now, the medical gloves that you provide for your team are the first line of defense and a vital part of their personal protective equipment. However, medical gloves can be of several types and materials, and each of them has its pros and cons. So, while choosing one, you need to be extremely careful and select the one that meets your requirements.
Here are a few things to consider before buying and using surgical gloves.
Table of Contents
Glove Material
The first and foremost thing to consider is the glove material. Now, medical gloves are generally of three types of materials, Latex, Vinyl, and Nitrile.
Latex is natural rubber and gloves made from them are very comfortable, flexible, and offer a high level of performance. They are also pretty endurable and act almost like a second skin to the wearer. Thus, latex gloves are preferred by many medical professionals as the glove of their choice. However, people prone to latex allergies cannot wear them. And thus, many organizations recommend non-latex gloves for surgical use.
Nitrile is a synthetic rubber fabric and is a latex-free option. So, as more and more people are diagnosed with a latex allergy, many teams have shifted to using Nitrile gloves for their surgical team. Nitrile, apart from being non-allergic, is also stronger than Latex and Vinyl gloves. They also provide high protection from chemicals and other pathogens.
Vinyl gloves are also latex-free and inexpensive, but less durable and prone to punctures and tears. The reason why they are suitable only for examination purposes.
Powdered vs. Unpowdered Gloves
Powdered gloves contain cornstarch inside them, making them easier to slip over hands. The reason why it is preferred by many medical professionals. However, the powder itself can cause complications at times. The wearer may be allergic to it or if the powder somehow comes in contact with damaged and exposed skin tissue of the patient, it can cause the healing to delay.
Double-Gloving
Double-gloving is the practice of wearing two sets of gloves one over the other, in order to maximize protection. This practice reduces the risk of infection to a great degree for everyone involved in the surgical process. This is because wearing two sets of gloves with different colors will allow the wearer to notice when the outer layer gets punctured and take suitable action to prevent contamination and other risks.
Procedure-Related Requirements
Some surgical procedure requires some specific type of glove, and you need to arrange for the same to make sure the procedure is carried out safely. In addition, some patients too have unique requirements, such as they may have a latex allergy and in such cases, you have to make sure the requirements are met.
Fit and Comfort
Surgical procedures require a high degree of precision and any glove that does not fit perfectly will only add to the discomfort of the wearer and may even cause accidents. So, always buy pairs that are perfectly fitting to the wearer’s hands, so that they can make a complete set of movements which is so much required in any surgical procedure.
These are the factors you need to keep in mind when buying medical gloves. Apart from the material and use, you also need to make sure the gloves fit perfectly to avoid any mishaps.
An author of DigitalGpoint, We have published more articles focused on blogging, business, lifestyle, digital marketing, social media, web design & development, e-commerce, finance, health, SEO, travel.
For any types of queries, contact us on digitalgpoint.webmail@gmail.com.