What it means
Used for surgery and for sterile procedures at the bedside, such as inserting a urinary catheter, sterile dressing changes and central line care. Clean (exam) gloves are not sterile and are used for contact with body fluids during routine care.
For the nurse
Check that the package is dry, intact and in date. Do hand hygiene first, then put the gloves on so that the outside of each glove touches only the other sterile glove. Keep gloved hands above the waist and in sight, and change gloves if they touch anything that is not sterile.
At a glance
| Also written | sterile gloves |
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Related terms
hand hygiene
Cleaning the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
surgical asepsis
Practices that keep an area or object completely free of microorganisms; also called sterile technique.
sterile field
An area set up with sterile drapes and supplies, kept free of all germs, for a sterile procedure.