Hand Hygiene and Infection Control: Skin Care Supports Patient Care

Not all lotions are compatible with all antiseptic types or all glove types. Products with mineral oil, petrolatum, or lanolin should not be used when wearing NRL gloves. Water-based options are preferred.

Another way to reduce contact dermatitis is to provide gloves in a variety of materials, since some individuals may be sensitive to a chemical used in manufacturing a particular type of glove or to the protein allergen in NRL.

Compliance Without Compromise

Choosing skin-care products on the basis of cost is false economy, because the costs associated with just a few HAIs can equal the entire annual budget for hand-hygiene products. Simply purchasing more effective or more acceptable hand-hygiene products can have a positive impact on the prevention of HAIs. However, the availability of appropriate hand-hygiene products addresses only half the issue. Compliance with recommended skin-care protocols is key, and is a common weak link in many skin wellness programs.

One important development is the introduction of products that deliver moisturizing agents in new ways. For example, medical gloves coated with skin-care ingredients have a significant impact on skin health. It is important to review the formulation and efficacy of the ingredients selected – and the test data demonstrating these benefits — before gloves are selected.