Misuse of gloves may have increased rates of hospital-acquired infections during COVID-19, a report published Aug. 29 in Nursing Times found.
Researchers combed through dozens of studies on infection control and patient safety to compile the article.
"Glove misuse and inadequate hand hygiene are commonplace in healthcare settings. It is a complex issue and has been linked to multiple factors," they wrote.
Three key notes:
- Frequent media coverage regarding staff shortages and limited personal protective equipment may have led clinicians' fear about contracting COVID-19 to dominate decision-making process around glove use and its appropriateness.
- Inappropriate glove-wearing has been found to increase cross-contamination risks due to "missed moments" of overall hand hygiene.
- Numerous studies have concluded that clinicians' hands are the most common method of carrying microorganisms.