Strategies for Low-Resource Settings

Processing gloves for reuse

Although they may be expensive for some facilities, disposable surgical gloves afford much greater protection for staff and clients than reusable gloves. It is difficult to properly process gloves for reuse. Processing may cause tiny holes or tears in the gloves that expose providers and clients to the possibility of infection, and processed gloves may become brittle and likely to tear during clinical procedures. For all of these reasons, processing gloves for reuse is not recommended.

Although reuse of gloves is not recommended, health facilities in low-resource settings sometimes must reuse gloves when supplies run out and there is no other option available. If it is necessary to process and reuse gloves, be sure to follow proper sterilization or HLD techniques and check gloves carefully for tears or brittleness after processing. (More information about how to process gloves and other items can be found in the Instrument Processing module of this course.)

If gloves must be processed and reused, double gloving (wearing two pairs of gloves at the same time) may help protect service providers from tears and tiny holes in processed gloves.

Dealing with supply problems

In many low-resource settings, staff do not wear the proper type of gloves every time they should because of the high costs of supplies and because of stock-outs of one or more types of gloves. If stockouts of one type of gloves do occur, it is still important to wear some type of gloves in all situations where you may be exposed to blood or other potentially contaminated matter. However, it is important to use the proper supplies whenever possible.

Every facility faces slightly different problems when it comes to supplies. When trying to solve supply problems, try to find the simplest, most low-tech solution possible. Assemble a team of administrators and staff to work on strategies that will ensure adequate supplies of each type of gloves. Have them ask:

• What is the real source of the problem? Can you budget enough money to order adequate supplies? Are new supplies being ordered before existing stocks run out? Can you order a larger supply of gloves farther in advance? Does your supply of examination and surgical gloves run out because staff are routinely double gloving, wearing these gloves in place of utility gloves, or wearing gloves when they aren't necessary?
• Is there a simple, low-tech solution? Has your facility explored the variety of gloves locally available and compared costs to find the most cost-effective products for surgical, examination, and utility needs? Can staff training aid in ensuring that the proper gloves are being used for each task? How can you modify current ordering procedures to ensure a steady flow of supplies? If your clinic cannot afford to buy an adequate supply of utility gloves, can staff members bring their own household gloves to work when stockouts occur?

When supplies run out...

Surgical gloves--which are the most expensive type--are often used when supplies of the other kinds of gloves run out or are not available. This is very costly and should be avoided if possible. Follow these guidelines for using other types of gloves when the recommended gloves are not available:

• For procedures where there will be contact with tissues under the skin or contact with the bloodstream, use HLD surgical gloves if sterile surgical gloves are not available. (More information about sterile and HLD gloves appears in the Instrument Processing module.)
• For procedures where there will be contact with intact mucous membranes or where the primary purpose of wearing gloves is to reduce the risk of exposure to blood or other body fluids, use surgical gloves if examination gloves are not available.
• For handling contaminated instruments and other items, handling waste and soiled linens, performing housekeeping activities, and cleaning contaminated surfaces, use examination or surgical gloves when utility gloves are not available. If no gloves are available, place plastic bags over your hands when performing these tasks.

Back to Making It Work

©2004 EngenderHealth