Infection control. 1: A practical guide to glove usage

With increased demands from the general public for healthcare professionals to be accountable for their actions, many are becoming familiar with clinical governance and other initiatives to improve clinical practice. Good infection control is central to nursing practice. To achieve higher standards of clinical practice, especially when thinking about how to reduce the risk of cross-infection, it is necessary to not only do the right thing, but also do the thing right. Safe practice should be uppermost in the minds of healthcare professionals when caring for patients. This new series of articles attempts to look at the practical aspects of infection control, highlighting the requirements for risk assessment and applying the principles of infection control to a variety of patient care situations. This article investigates the use of protective clothing and gloves. It looks at the types of gloves available for use, the importance of choosing the correct glove for the task to be undertaken, and the modern day problems of allergies to latex.