Are Gloves Required for Injections? A Guide to Safe Practice

Are Gloves Required for Injections? A Guide to Safe Practice

Are gloves required for injections? Which are the best types of gloves to administer vaccines? Find all the answers and more about disposable gloves here.
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hand holding a needle photo

(Photo by Dima Solomin from Unsplash)

Vaccines and injections have been used for centuries to prevent various diseases, viruses, and other health problems such as measles, polio, rubella, mumps, hepatitis, meningococcal disease, etc. They are commonly required for infants and young children to strengthen their immune systems. 

Today getting vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus is necessary. Does your medical practitioner or worker wear gloves when administering vaccines? Why are they required for injection? Here are the answers to your questions.

Importance of wearing gloves for injections

Disposable gloves are used to keep the hands clean and sanitary. They are essential for many procedures in hospitals, dental clinics, and other medical-related establishments, such as blood testing, teeth cleaning, and injections. The reason is they prevent contaminating the medical practitioner and spreading various diseases, bacteria, germs, and viruses. 

During injections, the medical practitioner needs patient contact or contact with blood, body fluids, or mucous membrane. If they practice the right hand-washing procedure and are very strict with hygiene, it is safe to inject even without wearing syringe gloves. However, in the tight schedule of these people, there are instances when they have to rush or inject multiple people at a time. To ensure the safety of these people and the one conducting the injection, it is important to wear the right type of gloves. 

Types of gloves used for injections

Wearing the right types of gloves is crucial for the safety of the health care providers and the patient. However, the situation, procedure, and preferences are important to choose the best type of gloves for injections. That being said, here are three of the best types of gloves used for injections to choose from.

Latex

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Latex gloves are the most commonly used protective equipment in many medical facilities and procedures, aside from surgical procedures. These disposable latex gloves are made from natural materials coming from rubber trees. As a result, latex gloves are more affordable than other synthetic materials. However, some people have latex allergies or sensitive skin. For them, skip latex gloves and go for nitrile gloves or vinyl gloves.

These latex disposable gloves are available in powder-free and powdered options. Powder-free latex gloves are typically used for medical, dental, and food handling industries. Powdered latex gloves can’t be used in these industries due to the additional starch. The powdered starch makes the disposable gloves easier to wear and remove.

Nitrile

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Nitrile gloves are made from a synthetic material called acrylonitrile butadiene rubber. They are 100% latex-free making them a great alternative to latex gloves.

These disposable gloves are stretchable, comfortable to wear, and offer protection from body fluids, mucous membranes, and other infectious agents. Because of their durability, nitrile gloves are highly resistant to tears and punctures perfect for surgical or invasive procedures. Also, they offer resistance to numerous types of chemicals and bodily fluids. 

The best part about nitrile gloves is they don’t need any additional starch powder to make them easy to don and remove. 

Vinyl

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Vinyl gloves are made from a synthetic monomer called PVC or polyvinyl chloride. Just like nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves are 100% latex-free making them a great alternative for those with sensitive skin or latex allergies.

Disposable vinyl gloves are typically used for light medical procedures without any contact with blood or procedures with low-level glove stress is needed. They are easy to wear and remove, affordable, and have anti-static properties.

Best practices for wearing gloves for injections

Wearing disposable gloves offers numerous advantages, just like administering injections. However, you can’t just wear syringe gloves randomly. Here are a few best practices you should definitely follow before wearing disposable gloves:

      • Always wash your hands before wearing gloves. Having clean hands ensures you don’t contaminate the surface of your disposable gloves. 
      • Select the best type of gloves for the procedure and your preferences. Some types of gloves are ideal for certain procedures and situations. Choose the right disposable gloves that fit your needs and preferences.
      • Check for punctures, holes, tears, cracks, and discoloration. If there are any signs of breakage, don’t use them and look for another pair of gloves.
      • Wear the right size of gloves. The size is crucial for your hand movement. If syringe gloves are too tight, the health care personnel will find it difficult to inject the syringe and prone to accidents.
      • Wash your hands after removing the syringe gloves. To ensure you don’t spread contamination, always wash your hands after removing your disposable gloves.

Learn How To Remove Gloves: Safe Ways to Properly Remove Gloves: A Step-by-Step Guide

Final thoughts and recommendations

Wearing disposable gloves while administering vaccines might not be required but they will make your patients feel more at ease and confident. For babies and young children, wearing syringe gloves while injecting the hepatitis B vaccine can prevent infection or diseases. The immune system of babies is not yet fully developed at birth making them vulnerable to infection and health problems. 

Are gloves required for injections? According to the CDC, it is “OK” not to wear disposable gloves when administering vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more conscious and safety became a priority. That’s why many feel less safe when the health care personnel are not wearing any disposable gloves.

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Purchase the best disposable gloves from gloves.com. We source all of your syringe gloves from reputable and trusted manufacturers to provide affordable and high-quality disposable gloves for you. Choose from our wide variety of gloves and select the type that fits your needs, procedures, and preferences. Order yours today!