No Risk? No Glove!
Jenny Stackelroth1, Stacey Shar1, Anna Sartor1, , 1Mater Health, South-east Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Background
The use of non-sterile gloves has become standard practice in the delivery of health care since the introduction of Universal Precautions in the late-1980s (now referred to as Standard Precautions). However, gloves are frequently worn for patient care that do not involve exposure to blood and body fluids, potentially increasing the risk of cross contamination of microorganisms due to performing no hand hygiene. The “No Risk? No Glove!” campaign was launched in December 2020 to reduce inappropriate use of non-sterile nitrile gloves in a large public/private healthcare organisation.
Method
We conducted a baseline observational audit of glove use by staff prior to the introduction of the campaign, which was based on a successful overseas healthcare facility program including posters, promotional video, and education. Following the campaign, a further audit was performed to measure its success. Annual glove use was estimated pre- and post-campaign. Impact on waste reduction and sustainability were not measured directly.
Results
The baseline audit of three-hundred and sixty-three staff identified that 62% (n = 225) of staff did not need to wear gloves for the activity performed. Twenty-three months later, a subsequent audit found one hundred and twenty-five (53%) staff unnecessarily wore gloves. This 9% decrease equated to almost one million less gloves used in 2022. Hand hygiene compliance after glove removal also increased by 6% between audits.
Conclusion
By reminding staff to risk assess when they should or should not wear gloves, the campaign has positively impacted on patient safety, infection prevention, and healthcare expenditure.
Biography
Jenny Stackelroth has worked in infection prevention and control for 30 years and is currently the Clinical Nurse Consultant, Infection Management with Mater Health South-east Queensland. Jenny gained her Master of Advanced Practice with Class 1 Honours Infection Prevention and Control in December 2012 and continues to focus on projects to improve compliance with infection prevention practices.