Veteran patient perceptions of a universal gloving intervention for health care-associated infection prevention: A...

Universal gloving by health care workers (HCW) for all patient care activities (beyond isolation and standard precautions) has been proposed to reduce health care-associated infection transmission, but patient perceptions of this approach are unclear. We interviewed patients who experienced a universal gloving intervention by HCW within Veterans Affairs inpatient acute care units to understand their perceptions of universal gloving.

We conducted interviews with 15 patients across 5 Veterans Affairs hospitals. We used a rapid qualitative inquiry approach to analyze interview transcripts and identified patient perceptions of universal gloving regarding patient knowledge, patient experience, and HCW practice.

Patients were highly supportive of HCW use of universal gloving, noting potential benefits for infection prevention, patient and HCW safety, and patient feelings of well-being and care. Patients also communicated support of universal gloving in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Universal gloving by HCW may support patients' feelings of safe and positive health care delivery.

Patients' positive perception of gloving may facilitate universal gloving as an infection prevention and control strategy.