A study published in the American Journal of Infection Control found that healthcare workers perform hand hygiene before putting on nonsterile gloves less than half of the time.
Researchers conducted the study at three large academic U.S. hospitals. They observed healthcare workers when they entered patient rooms for six months, assessing their gloving and hand hygiene practices. They then conducted interviews with 25 providers, nurses, and nursing assistants to record their perceptions of these practices.
They found the hand hygiene compliance rate before putting on gloves was 42 percent, but in interviews healthcare workers reported 100 percent compliance.
Compliance with putting on gloves before entering contact precaution rooms was 78 percent, although healthcare workers once again reported 100 percent compliance.
The researchers also observed several barriers to performing hand hygiene before putting on gloves, including the belief among healthcare workers that gloves alone provide enough protection.
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