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Gloving and Touch Practices of Neonatal Nurses
Marliese Dion Nist1, Rita H Pickler, Tondi M Harrison
1The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus.
The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
|January 28, 2022
Summary
Neonatal nurses often use gloves during routine care, despite most units not mandating universal gloving. This practice may limit essential tactile experiences for newborns, highlighting a need for evidence-based guidelines on glove use in neonatal intensive care units.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Nursing
- Infection Control
- Sensory Development
Background:
- Positive tactile experiences are crucial for newborn sensory development.
- Universal gloving in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) aims to prevent infection but may impede vital human touch.
- The practice of universal gloving is a point of contention in neonatal nursing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe gloving policies in NICUs.
- To describe neonatal nurses' gloving and touch practices.
- To identify associations between these practices and nurse demographics.
Main Methods:
- A 19-question, anonymous survey was developed.
- The survey was distributed via the National Association of Neonatal Nurses' social media and newsletter.
- 137 responses were collected from a geographically diverse sample.
Main Results:
- Only 22.1% of nurses reported a unit policy requiring universal gloving.
- Nurses commonly used gloves for general care activities, despite policy ambiguity.
- Routine, bare-handed touch was uncommon among surveyed neonatal nurses.
Conclusions:
- Gloving policies in NICUs vary significantly.
- The routine use of gloves by neonatal nurses may limit essential tactile stimulation for infants.
- Further research is needed to inform evidence-based nursing practices and policies regarding glove use in the NICU.
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