Nurses' views and knowledge of the use of non-sterile gloves

Abstract

It is acknowledged that gloves are worn by nurses to protect their hands from contamination and to protect the patient from any organisms the wearer may be carrying on her hands. No policy on gloves was available at St. Luke's hospital during data collection. The aim of this research study was to explore nurses' views and knowledge on non-sterile glove use. Factors influencing their use were also investigated. A non-experimental research design was employed for this study and a questionnaire including both closed and open-ended questions was formulated. A convenience sample of twenty eight nurses working in surgical or medical wards was identified for the study. A convenience sample may be atypical of the population but it was chosen due to many constraints. Some of the data was quantitative in nature while some other was qualitative. The results of closed questions were generally shown in graphs while qualitative data was submitted to qualitative content analysis so that prominent themes and patterns were identified. The results of this study suggested that nurses viewed non-sterile gloves more as a personal protection rather than as a means to prevent cross-infection. The nurses' responses also revealed lack of knowledge concerning glove use. The nurses themselves appeared concerned about their lack of education and lack of clear policies. The implications of this study were further discussed in the conclusion.