|
Latex gloves provide protection but care should be taken.
Allergies and proper fit of latex gloves are two issues that must be considered.
Latex gloves are readily available in any medical facility. Latex gloves are not the only type of glove available. Because gloves are an important protective barrier for workers and patients alike, it is essential that one make an educated choice to ensure that the whatever gloves are chosen provide the necessary protection.
The most important point for selecting medical gloves is to define: Who is being protected? What is being protected against? Latex gloves are typically used to protect health care workers from a range of hazards encountered in the workplace, including:
- Biological exposures (bacterial and viral)
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Sterilants
- Chemicals
During the glove selection process, one must recognize what protection the gloves need to provide and make sure that any gloves selected provide that type of protection. (Not all latex gloves protect against chemotherapy drugs, for example). Latex gloves themselves have the potential for adversely affecting both health care workers and patients. Therefore, it is important to consider the following concerns and make sure that latex gloves will provide the protection needed without introducing risk to health care workers or patients. - Latex allergy can affect both health care workers and patients.
- Use of powdered gloves can lead to granulomas and adhesions in surgical patients.
- Airborne powder may have high bacterial and latex protein levels, introducing risk of infection or allergic reaction for both patients and hospital staff.
- Glove fit is important to prevent chafing of the skin. In addition, latex gloves that fit poorly sometimes make it difficult to perform manual tasks, such as grasping or manipulating medical devices. In some cases, workers compensate by gripping more tightly, which over time can cause hand trauma or accidents.
|

Shop for Latex Gloves
• Home
• Medical Supplies
• Wheelchairs
• Electric Scooters
• Scrubs
• Oxygen
• Medical Alert Jewelry
• Nutritional Supplements
• Weight Loss Products
• Pharmacy
• Medical Dictionary
• Medical Information
|