Many healthcare workers fail to take the proper precautions to remove personal protective equipment correctly, which increases the risk of contamination to the hands and wrists, according to a new study in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
The weakest point of PPE is frequently the gown-glove interface, so the authors of the study theorized that PPE designed to provide continuous coverage of the wrist and hand would reduce the risk of transmitting infectious pathogens. To test their hypothesis, the researchers developed a seamless PPE prototype that used adhesive material on the sleeve of the gown to attach the gloves at the wrist.
"This design prevents exposure of skin and requires that gloves be peeled off as the gown is removed," according to the study.
The researchers randomly assigned healthcare personnel to perform simulations of contaminated glove removal using either standard PPE or the seamless prototype. Contamination was examined by using a florescent lotion and a black light. All total, 30 simulations were observed.
Contamination was significantly lower among the healthcare workers who used the seamless PPE prototype compared to those who used the standard version. Additionally, plaque-forming units of bacteria cultured from the workers' hands were "significantly lower" with the use of the seamless PPE versus the standard equipment.
"Our results demonstrate that a prototype PPE design that ensures wrist coverage and requires the wearer to remove gloves and gown simultaneously can reduce self-contamination of the hands and wrists," concluded the authors.
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