Letters to the Editor
Unacceptable From an Occupational Medicine Perspective
According to the authors’ recommendations, nursing staff should not wear single-use medical gloves when performing the following tasks:
- Washing patients (except anogenital region)
- Applying cream to patients (except anogenital region)
The first recommendation is particularly unacceptable from an occupational medicine perspective. I assume that it is based on the misunderstood term “work in a moist environment”, according to which the skin hazard of working in a moist environment is the same as the skin hazard associated with wearing liquid-tight gloves (sweating). However, direct contact with water damages the skin barrier significantly more quickly compared to wearing gloves for the same period of time.
But more importantly: The soaps used for washing patients degrease the skin of the nurse and consequently increase the likelihood of occupational dermatoses.
Finally, many soaps and care products contain substances which may cause allergies. For this reason, applying cream to patients without wearing gloves must also be viewed critically. In this case, it depends on the ingredients of the skin creams used whether wearing gloves is required or not. Pharmacologically active preparations for topical application to the skin are definitely taboo.
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0265
Winfried Keßler-Rode
Specialist in Occupational Medicine
Katholische Karl-Leisner-Trägergesellschaft mbH
Winfried.Kessler-Rode@kkle.de
Conflict of interest
The author declares no conflict of interest.
| 1. | Kramer TS, Brodzinski A, Paul M, Drexler H, Scheithauer S, Geffers C: The use of single-use medical gloves in doctors’ practices and hospitals. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2024; 121: 715–24 VOLLTEXT |
