Nursing Home Workers Often Fail to Change Gloves

Megan Reilly

A study recently published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control found that the failure to change gloves is common among certified nursing assistants, and may be a significant cause of the spread of dangerous pathogens in residential care facilities.

The study found:

  • Inappropriate glove use was frequently observed in this long-term care study.
  • Certified nursing assistants failed to change gloves when indicated 66% of the time.
  • Of the touch points, 44% of the gloved touch points were contaminated.
  • Contaminated gloves spread pathogens.
  • Work needs to be done to improve glove use to reduce cross-contamination and decrease the risk of infections.

http://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(17)30138-4/fulltext