Gloves are a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that create a barrier between germs and hands, and are used to prevent contamination of healthcare professionals hands and reduce the spread of pathogens. Gloves must be worn when there is the potential for injury or exposure to skin contact from chemicals, infectious agents, heat, cold, abrasive, and cutting objects. Gloves are an important piece of PPE that protect hands against scrapes, scratches, cuts, and chemicals or contaminants.

Here are some key points about the use of gloves in PPE:

• Gloves should be selected based on the hazards involved.
• Gloves must be worn when anticipating contact with a patient’s blood or body substances, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or insertion point of a patient’s invasive or indwelling device.
• Gloves do not provide complete protection from hand contamination, so hand hygiene is important before and after glove use.
• Gloves must be cleaned after use and replaced periodically depending upon chemical permeability to the material handled.
• Different kinds of gloves provide different kinds of protection, and the appropriate glove material should be selected based on the hazardous exposure.

In summary, gloves are an essential component of PPE that protect against injury or exposure to skin contact from chemicals, infectious agents, heat, cold, abrasive, and cutting objects. They are used to prevent contamination of healthcare professionals hands and reduce the spread of pathogens. The appropriate glove material should be selected based on the hazardous exposure, and hand hygiene is important before and after glove use.