Protocol to practice: Single to double gloving
How to implement a double gloving protocol in practice
Taking a systematic approach to infection control in the OR requires looking at practices and routines. One of many factors that affect outcomes and build efficiency is the move to double gloving from a single gloving protocol. How?
“How to implement new routines in practice?” Tackling infection control in the perioperative setting is fraught with challenges, but all patients have the right to receive care without facing unnecessary complications.
Many factors can influence the patient outcome from an infection point of view, so it is important that these factors are optimised to enhance patient safety in the OR. One measure in the perioperative setting is moving from a single gloving to a double gloving protocol for surgical procedures, contributing to infection control.
Challenges to changes
Double gloving hasn’t always been easy to implement. With statistics and evidence, as well as implementation methodologies, surgical departments can move from challenges to changes.
Motivating change
If patient safety and potential risk reduction weren’t enough of a reason to double glove, the evidence backs double gloving practice. Healthcare organisations, such as the American and European CDC, support the adoption of double gloving. A solid, easy-to-follow model of implementation can make adoption easier.
Change in the OR is challenging but possible, particularly with evidence and clear models of implementation available to motivate change. Shifting to a double gloving protocol is one such example where change can deliver a reduced risk of infection and better patient outcomes.
Hands & gloves podcast
Hands and gloves hold many of the critical keys to infection prevention, operating room (OR) efficiency and surgical best practices. Hear more from your peers about OR practices, gloving and other surgical glove-related topics in the podcast series Hands & gloves.
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References
- Workbook for Designing, Implementing and Evaluating a Sharps Injury Prevention Program. CDC 2008. https://www.cdc.gov/sharpssafety/resources.html
- STRATEGI för kvalitetsutveckling inom omvårdnad. Svensk sjuksköterskeförening 2014. Strategi för kvalitetsutveckling inom omvårdnad, Swenurse
- Kitson A. et.al. Methods to Succeed in Effective Knowledge Translation in Clinical Practice. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2016; 48:3, 294–302. https://sigmapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jnu.12206
- Bergström et al. The use of the PARIHS framework in implementation research and practice—a citation analysis of the literature. Implementation Science (2020)15:68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-020-01003-0
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EORNA Best Practice for perioperative care 2003, page 122 (EORNA = European Operating Room Nurses Association). https://eorna.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/EORNA-Best-Practice-for-perioperative-care2023.pdf
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