Take your gloves off

Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust is encouraging staff to ‘take their gloves off’ when undertaking physical (or non-physical) observations on patients, such as blood pressure, oxygen saturations, and taking temperatures.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable change in the use of gloves when undertaking routine activities. The ‘Take Your Gloves Off’ campaign aims to improve awareness of when it is appropriate to wear gloves.

For most physical observations gloves are not required and hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand rub or hand washing with soap and water is the most effective means of preventing the spread of infection and keeping our patients and ourselves safe.

The overuse of gloves:

• Reduces the opportunity to clean our hands
• Increases environmental contamination
• Increases our environmental impact through the production and the disposal of gloves
• Increases the risk of skin conditions, such as occupational dermatitis

Be a “#TakeYourGlovesOff” champion today and remember gloves are not required when taking physical or non-physical observations.