Pre‐procedure

ActionRationale

1. 1.Show
   Decontaminate hands with either soap and water or an alcohol‐based handrub before putting on gloves.
   Hands must be decontaminated before and after every patient contact or contact with a patient's equipment (NHS England and NHSI [82], C; Wilson [129], C).

Procedure

1. 2.Show
   Remove gloves from the box one at a time (Action figure 4.15). If it is likely that more than two gloves will be required (i.e. if the procedure requires gloves to be changed part‐way through), consider removing all the gloves needed before starting the procedure.
   To prevent contamination of the finger part of the gloves. E
2. 3.Show
   Holding the cuff of the glove, pull it into position, taking care not to contaminate the glove from the skin (Action figure 4.16). This is particularly important when the second glove is being put on, as the gloved hand of the first glove can touch the skin of the ungloved second hand if care is not taken.
   To prevent cross‐contamination (WHO [125], C).
3. 4.Show
   During the procedure or when undertaking two procedures with the same patient, it may be necessary to change gloves.
   Disposable gloves are single‐use items. They cannot be cleaned and reused for the same or another patient (Wilson [129], C).
4. 5.Show
   If gloves become damaged during use, they must be replaced.
   Damaged gloves are not an effective barrier (WHO [125], C).
5. 6.Show
   Remove the gloves when the procedure is complete, taking care not to contaminate the hands or the environment from the outside of the gloves.
   The outside of the glove may be contaminated. E
6. 7.Show
   Remove the first glove by firmly holding the outside of the glove's wrist and pulling off the glove in such a way as to turn it inside out (Action figure 4.17).
   While removing the first glove, the second gloved hand continues to be protected. By turning the glove inside out during removal, any contamination is contained inside the glove. E
7. 8.Show
   Remove the second glove by slipping the thumb of the ungloved hand inside the wrist of the glove and pulling it off while at the same time turning it inside out (Action figure 4.18).
   Putting the thumb inside the glove means they will not be in contact with the potentially contaminated outer surface of the glove. E

Post‐procedure

1. 9.Show
   Dispose of used gloves immediately in the appropriate bin as per local policy (Action figure 4.19).
   Waste that is not contaminated with any infectious material should be disposed of in the ‘offensive waste’ stream. This is usually a yellow and black ‘tiger stripe’ bag. If the gloves have been used to deal with any infectious agents thought to pose a particular risk, they should be disposed of as hazardous infectious waste in an orange or yellow bag (DH [25], C).
2. 10.Show
   After removing the gloves, decontaminate hands.
   Hands may have become contaminated (NHS England and NHSI [82], C; WHO [125], C).