Medical professionals should have an understanding as to when to Don Gloves. If gloves are donned to early, they can come in contact with infectious organisms that patient’s visitors have left behind. One other misconception would be that the outside of the packaging material for sterile equipment is also sterile. These packages are exposed to the elements, so the only thing that is sterile would be the equipment inside the package. If you don your gloves before you open the packages, you could possibly introduce any organisms on the package to the patient. Donning gloves should be done once all of the required supplies have been setup.

Gloves should only be used on one portion of the patient’s body. If the latex gloves are used to change a bandage they should not be used to draw blood. If you have to perform both procedures, complete one then wash your hands and Don a new pair of latex gloves. These practices will protect the medical professional and the patient.