Use of nonsterile gloves for routine noninvasive procedures in thermally injured patients

A total of 26 boxes of gloves were analyzed to determine if using nonsterile gloves for routine noninvasive procedures was sufficient for thermally injured patients and if the risk of infection increased. All of the study boxes had some organism present on or in the used box; the most common type found was Staphylococcus aureus. Eleven of the 13 subjects (85%) had specific antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus present on cultures obtained from open wounds. Seven (64%) of these corresponded to the glove boxes assigned to that patient. The remaining four boxes of gloves had no S. aureus present. In all of the boxes of gloves that had positive S. aureus cultures, 100% of the resistant strains occurred after it was first cultured from the patient. As a result, nonsterile gloves can be used safely for routine non-invasive procedures in the thermally injured patient. It is imperative to avoid using a common box of gloves for two or more patients to prevent the transfer of organisms between patients.