All of the following statement are true about donning sterile gloves except:
A. The first glove should be picked up by grasping the inside of the cuff.
B. The second glove should be picked up by inserting the gloved fingers under the cuff outside the glove.
C. The gloves should be adjusted by sliding the gloved fingers under the sterile cuff and pulling the glove over the wrist.
D. The inside of the glove is considered sterile.
Correct Answer: D. The inside of the glove is considered sterile.
The inside of the glove is always considered to be clean, but not sterile. Sterile gloves are gloves that are free from all microorganisms. They are required for any invasive procedure and when contact with any sterile site, tissue, or body cavity is expected (PIDAC, 2012).
Option A: Pick up the glove for the dominant hand by touching the inside cuff of the glove. Do not touch the outside of the glove. Pull the glove completely over the dominant hand. Sterile gloves help prevent surgical site infections and reduce the risk of exposure to blood and body fluid pathogens for the health care worker. Studies have shown that 18% to 35% of all sterile gloves have tiny holes after surgery, and up to 80% of the tiny puncture sites go unnoticed by the surgeon (Kennedy, 2013).
Option B: Insert gloved hand into the cuff of the remaining glove. Pull the remaining glove on a non-dominant hand and insert fingers. Adjust gloves if necessary. Double gloving is known to reduce the risk of exposure and has become common practice, but does not reduce the risk of cross-contamination after surgery (Kennedy, 2013).
Option C: Once gloves are on, interlock gloved hands and keep at least six inches away from clothing, keeping hands above waist level and below the shoulders. To remove gloves, grasp the outside of the cuff or palm of the glove and gently pull the glove off, turning it inside out and placing it into a gloved hand.