Top Attributes of High-Quality Surgical Gloves – What You Need to Know
Surgical gloves are critical personal protective equipment for the healthcare industry. They create a barrier between germs and substances and hands, improving patient and healthcare workers’ safety. Choosing the best high-quality gloves can help support your employees and offer them many benefits over lower-quality products. Today, we will discover the key attributes healthcare workers should consider when selecting surgical gloves.
1. Material Composition
The two most common materials used for safety gloves are latex and nitrile. Latex offers a very comfortable and flexible material that can provide a wide range of motion. The drawbacks of this material include limited chemical protection, the fact that some individuals are allergic to latex, and the issue that it is not a biodegradable material. Nitrile is resistant to oils, some acids, and solvents and is a hypoallergenic material. Remember that nitrile is less elastic than latex and may not be the best option for some jobs.
If you mainly use latex gloves in your workplace, looking for latex-free options is essential, as some individuals are sensitive to this material and cannot wear them. The material you choose can impact performance during procedures, so you need to find an option with the right level of flexibility and durability for the task at hand. This search may mean you need to purchase gloves made of all three types of material to have an option for every job in your healthcare facility.
2. Barrier Protection and Puncture Resistance
While the material you choose for your surgical gloves will impact their effectiveness, you must also consider glove thickness and its impact on protection. A thicker pair of gloves will have a higher resistance to tears, punctures, and microbial penetration. Gloves may indicate their compliance with standards for barrier effectiveness, such as ASTM and EN standards. Industry professionals create these standards to offer individuals the adequate protection they need. You’ll need to balance the thickness of gloves with the type of job you need to complete, as the thickest gloves don’t offer the level of movement you may need for more intricate surgeries.
3. Comfort and Fit
If employees are required to wear gloves all day or for an extended period during surgery, comfort and fit are two areas you need to focus on when selecting surgical gloves. High-quality surgical gloves are designed with anatomical design in mind to reduce hand fatigue during long procedures. Glove elasticity and tactile sensitivity help individuals maintain dexterity even when worn for an extended period. You’ll also want to consider purchasing gloves in various sizes. Proper sizing improves job performance and safety, which are critical within the healthcare industry.
4. Tactile Sensitivity and Precision
Delicate surgical procedures require gloves that offer good tactile sensitivity and precision. Glove thickness and the material you choose may increase or decrease tactile feedback, with gloves that are too thick potentially being too restrictive for some job roles. When comparing glove options, balance protection with sensitivity for optimal surgical performance.
5. Sterility and Manufacturing Standards
High-quality surgical gloves undergo sterilization before they are ready to be worn. The most common ways to sterilize gloves include gamma radiation, ethylene oxide, and cold sterilization techniques. Gloves should also meet international quality and safety certifications, such as ISO and FDA, to ensure they meet the standards for safety within the healthcare industry. Batch testing and quality assurance protocols maintain high-performance levels even during the mass production of surgical gloves.
6. Grip and Surface Texture
Textured surfaces work to improve grip when working, especially in wet conditions. When you compare gloves, you’ll notice you have the option of powdered or powder-free gloves. Powdered gloves come with a powder coating on the inside of the glove, making them easier to take on and off. Powder-free gloves are better for anyone who experiences skin irritation or when avoiding contamination is critical. In medical procedures, powder-free gloves are usually the best option to avoid allergic reactions among employees and patients.
7. Resistance to Chemicals and Fluids
Surgical gloves have uses in procedures involving exposure to harsh chemicals or bodily fluids. For that reason, we design high-quality gloves to be resistant to chemicals and fluids. Gloves are marked to indicate their chemical resistance rating, usually with a scale stating Excellent (E), Good (G), Fair (F), and Poor (P). If you need a high level of chemical protection, invest in the highest level of chemical resistance possible. You don’t want to risk your team’s health by choosing a poor level of resistance when working in high-risk situations.
All the attributes we shared above are part of what you should look for when selecting high-quality surgical gloves. We recommend that you ensure you know what you need for your healthcare facility or hospital when choosing surgical gloves and find gloves that will offer your team the protection they need for the daily jobs they complete. Always prioritize quality and safety in glove selection to protect patients and healthcare professionals. Learn more and request a sample of our surgical gloves at https://gotgloves.com/surgical-gloves/. Our team will be here to answer any questions you have about selecting the best surgical gloves for your unique needs.
