An independent group of 13 experts including surgeons and nurses participated in the consensus. The group members were selected based on their expertise in relation to the research questions and/or background in operating theatre clincial practice.
Announcing the launch of global consensus recommendations on surgical gloving
Standardizing gloving practice has the potential to improve clinical outcomes and enable greater patient and clinician safety in the operating room.
Announcing the publication of the Hands Deserve Better: Global Clinical Consensus Recommendations on surgical gloving practice in the Journal of Hospital Infection.
The publication includes evidence-based consensus statements on four focus areas:
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Glove fit
For optimum comfort and performance, every team member should have a glove fitting before scrubbing into the operating room for the first time, and be refitted when anything changes and have correctly fitting gloves in appropriate styles available to them.¹ -
Double gloving
Double gloving should be considered in surgery for the purpose of reducing the risk of aseptic barrier breach and exposing surgical team members to risk.¹ -
Indicator systems
When double gloving, all scrubbed surgical team members should utilize an indicator inner glove, for all surgeries to facilitate glove perforation detection.¹ -
Glove damage and change protocol
In any procedure, the surgical team may consider changing gloves at regular intervals of 60–120 minutes. Extra changes and/shorter intervals are recommended for certain specific procedures and, of course, following a perforation.¹
Disclosures
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Mölnlycke Health Care provided funding, research support and medical writing for this project. The research was product agnostic and does not attempt to compare different manufacturers’ gloves. The study investigators assessed and analysed results independently. The views expressed are those of the authors and all authors had full access to all of the data in this study.
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References
1. Enz A, Boermeester M, Chatterjee A et al Hand Deserve Better: global clinical consensus recommendations on surgical gloving practice Journal of Hospital Infection, 2026; 172, 115-128