Ms Kelly Ryan1, Ms Laura Murphy1, Ms Kaye Bellis3, Ms Christine Sharp3, Dr Maurice Le Guen1,2, Ms Brionhy Siebel1, Ms Tania Birthisel1, Prof Steve McGloughlin1,2, Ms Pauline Bass3
1Department of Intensive Care, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, 2Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, 3Department of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University School of Translational Medicine, Melbourne, Australia
Biography:
An experienced critical care nurse with over 10 years in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). I’m currently working as an Infection Prevention Clinical Nurse Consultant in ICU. I’m passionate about infection prevention and sustainability. I’m committed to improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and sustainable healthcare initiatives.
Abstract:
Issue Identified
Overuse of non-sterile gloves (NSG) by healthcare workers is well documented and may result from knowledge gaps, habitual practices, and misconceptions about personal safety. Continual glove use in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was identified, with staff up to 25% more likely to miss hand hygiene (HH) moments when gloved. The ‘Gloves Off’ campaign was introduced to support informed decision-making around NSG use, aiming to reduce waste and improve HH compliance.
Rectify the issue
A multidisciplinary quality improvement approach involving 21 project leads was implemented in the ICU in September 2025. Baseline audits of NSG use and HH compliance, along with pre-implementation survey were conducted. The 6-month campaign incorporated targeted education, visual prompts, leadership engagement, point-of-care education, and feedback. Post-implementation evaluation included observational audits, staff surveys, and analysis of glove usage data.
Results
Following implementation, inappropriate NSG use decreased across the ICU. Of the 121 respondents in the post survey 84.2% (n=102) reported a change in their NSG practice. Use of gloves “just in case” reported as always/ often decreased from 51.8% (n= 61) to 20.6% (n= 25). HH compliance improved from 83.9% to 85.3% with missed HH moments during glove use decreasing from 18.4% to 15.4%. NSG use decreased by 34,640 gloves in 6 months, whilst ICU occupancy remained consistent. This reduction cut waste by 100kg which is 1, 178kg less carbon dioxide emissions.
Conclusion
Staff knowledge and confidence in infection prevention practices reduced unnecessary NSG use. With project leads and multidisciplinary support, the campaign showed reduction in healthcare environmental impact and improved HH compliance.