Performing hand hygiene before donning nonsterile gloves may not have a clinical benefit, according to a study in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Researchers compared the amount of bacteria on healthcare workers' hands for two groups entering contact isolation rooms in intensive care units. One group performed hand hygiene before donning nonsterile gloves, and one group donned nonsterile gloves without performing hand hygiene first.
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The total bacterial colony counts for healthcare workers' hands after wearing the gloves were the same for both groups, calling into question the usefulness of performing hand hygiene before wearing nonsterile gloves, according to the study.
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