The Utility of Hand Hygiene Before Non-sterile Glove Use

The importance of healthcare worker hand hygiene in decreasing bacterial transmission between patients is well documented. Healthcare workers may don non-sterile gloves in routine care of patients, particularly for those patients known or suspected to harbor epidemiologically important microorganisms. Governing bodies currently recommend performing hand hygiene prior to donning gloves and after glove removal. The importance of hand hygiene post glove removal is well shown, however few studies exist to show utility of hand hygiene prior to donning gloves. In fact, data suggests that glove use is an impediment to hand hygiene and may reduce compliance with hand washing. In light of this and the fact that no evidence exists that washing hands BEFORE glove use is important, the aim of the study is to asses the utility of routine hand hygiene prior to donning non-sterile gloves before a patient contact.