Putting on Sterile Gloves and Removing Soiled Gloves

Goal: The gloves are applied and removed without contamination.

1. Perform hand hygiene and put on PPE, if indicated.

2. Identify the patient. Explain the procedure to the patient.

3. Check that the sterile glove package is dry and unopened. Also note expiration date, making sure that the date is still valid.

4. Place sterile glove package on clean, dry surface at or above your waist.

5. Open the outside wrapper by carefully peeling the top layer back. Remove inner package, handling only the outside of it.

6. Place the inner package on the work surface with the side labeled ‘cuff end’ closest to the body.

7. Carefully open the inner package. Fold open the top flap, then the bottom and sides. Take care not to touch the inner surface of the package or the gloves.

8. With the thumb and forefinger of the nondominant hand, grasp the folded cuff of the glove for the dominant hand, touching only the exposed inside of the glove.

9. Keeping the hands above the waistline, lift and hold the glove up and off the inner package with fingers down. Be careful it does not touch any unsterile object.

10. Carefully insert dominant hand palm up into glove and pull glove on. Leave the cuff folded until the opposite hand is gloved.

11. Hold the thumb of the gloved hand outward. Place the fingers of the gloved hand inside the cuff of the remaining glove. Lift it from the wrapper, taking care not to touch anything with the gloves or hands.

12. Carefully insert nondominant hand into glove. Pull the glove on, taking care that the skin does not touch any of the outer surfaces of the gloves.

13. Slide the fingers of one hand under the cuff of the other and fully extend the cuff down the arm, touching only the sterile outside of the glove. Repeat for the remaining hand.

14. Adjust gloves on both hands if necessary, touching only sterile areas with other sterile areas.

15. Continue with procedure as indicated. Removing Soiled Gloves

16. Use dominant hand to grasp the opposite glove near cuff end on the outside exposed area. Remove it by pulling it off, inverting it as it is pulled, keeping the contaminated area on the inside. Hold the removed glove in the remaining gloved hand.

17. Slide fingers of ungloved hand between the remaining glove and the wrist. Take care to avoid touching the outside surface of the glove. Remove it by pulling it off, inverting it as it is pulled, keeping the contaminated area on the inside, and securing the first glove inside the second.

18. Discard gloves in appropriate container. Remove additional PPE, if used. Perform hand hygiene.