Gloves should be removed immediately upon exiting the patient environment. Gloves should never be worn while talking on the phone or anywhere in the nursing station.

What’s wrong with this picture? Week 4

Each week throughout May and June, we’re hosting “What’s wrong with this picture” to raise awareness about correct glove use and hand hygiene. It’s a “what not to do” for glove use! To play just enter your guess as to what’s wrong in the glove use picture into the comments section at the end of the article. But watch out! One week we’ll throw in a picture of correct glove use, just to keep you on your toes.

Correct answers will be entered into a draw for these prizes:

  • One of two $25 gift cards
  • A VCH ball cap
  • A VCH stainless water bottle

draw prizes VCH swagVisa gift card

The details

There are eight pictures in all—one each week from May 5 through June 23. Check out each week’s picture, then scroll down to the comment section and post your guess about what you think the glove use error is that’s being shown in the picture. But watch out! One of the photos will show correct glove use!

  • Deadline for all entries is June 24.
  • Winners will be drawn from correct answers and announced in the June 30 VCH News.
  • You must use your real name and a valid email address to comment and enter the draw.

Have fun and don’t forget to check back each week for a new picture!

Need a review on proper glove use?

Check the World Health Organization Glove Use Information Leaflet

  1. Angela

    Take off gloves before answering phone.

    June 10, 2016
  2. Cheryl

    She is using the phone while wearing gloves. The potential dirty gloves can transmit germs to the phone or pick up germs from the phone. That will transmit to other patients by contact

    June 10, 2016
  3. Regina Cid

    Answering the phone with gloves is a no go!

    June 8, 2016
  4. Gurmeet lail

    should remove the gloves and wash hands before answering the ‘phone or making a call to avoid cross contamination.

    June 1, 2016
  5. Jillian

    Why use gloves on a phone? If the gloves are contaminated they should have been discarded after use and followed by good hand hygiene practice. Not only is the phone but everything else that she has been in contact with would have been contaminated.
    Call me old fashioned but I would appreciate a nurse with tidy hair and have it tied back if there is an abundance of it such as in this photo such as they used to do years ago. I have been in the hospital (as a patient) and seen staff adjust their hair with gloves on. Yuk! A clean professional appearance is always appreciated

    June 1, 2016
  6. Shairoz Mumani

    Gloves: are they clean or dirty; does not matter, after using the phone…they are contaminated…
    and if they are dirty, even worse scenario…more germs spread

    June 1, 2016
  7. Precy

    The nurse is using the telephone with gloves on. Who knows if the gloves are actually clean or dirty? Gloves are protection from any potential contamination of any kinds of fluids or waste products from a patient’s body. This picture is gross whether the glove is clean.

    May 31, 2016
  8. Kathy

    Dirty gloves should not be used for the phone as this will cause cross contamination.

    May 31, 2016
  9. Carman

    Gloves are not needed for answering phone calls. Clean gloves will no longer be sterile since they touched the phone that may have germs. Dirty gloves will spread germs onto the phone for the next person who uses the phone.

    May 30, 2016
  10. Bernadette

    The person in the picture should have removed her gloves and washed her hands before picking up the phone.

    May 27, 2016
  11. Arri

    Gloves should be removed after caring for a patient and then hands should be washed with sanitizer or soap and water before handling the phone.

    May 27, 2016
  12. Givan

    According to the pyramid, GLOVES NOT INDICATED (except for CONTACT precautions) during INDIRECT PATIENT EXPOSURE suchas: Using the telephone. Therefore, gloves aren’t required for office enviroment as gloves are to be used for patient care.

    May 27, 2016
    • ellen woodrow

      The glove may be contaminated after pt care and would now be contaminating other surfaces, in this case the phone. Gloves should be removed after leaving a contaminated area.

      May 28, 2016
  13. Lana

    Gloves should be removed after patient care, and hands washed before picking up phone. Gloved hands then will contaminate objects and spread illness/viruses to others who touch the phone.

    May 27, 2016
  14. Amy

    Cross contamination as we don’t know what this person touched prior to using the phone with those gloves. Thus, germs are spreading from one item to another. This person shouldn’t be wearing gloves while using phone and should wash hands post removal of gloves. Also, this person should wash hands before using phone without the gloves. Gloves are a one time use so double using gloves is a no no. The phone should be disinfected using caviwipes prior and post use as to kill germs from the previous user. Always use hand hygiene before and after using gloves. Always discard gloves after each use and do the proper hand hygiene protocol.

    May 26, 2016
  15. Rick Shun

    Glove off and wash your hands before picking up the phone

    May 26, 2016
  16. Rick Shun

    Gloves off and wash your hands before picking up the phone

    May 26, 2016
  17. jessica

    The glove could be “dirty” and gloves should only be used for patient care!

    May 26, 2016
  18. Meenu Joshi

    Gloves should come off as soon as you leave a patient’s room and wash your hands right away. Should not wear gloves in other areas, especially using the phone when other people using the phone can get in contact. Cross-Contamination. This is a big no no.

    May 26, 2016
  19. K

    If the nurse had patient contact or patient environment contact, the gloves should have been removed and hand hygiene needs to be done prior to touching the phone in the healthcare environment. She is contaminating the healthcare environment by not removing her gloves and not doing hand hygiene.

    May 26, 2016
  20. Anita Ford

    The woman with the gloved hand is picking up a phone which others may use. And she may go back to dealing with a patient wearing the same glove which touched the phone which many people may have used. Thus spreading germs.

    May 26, 2016
    • Yolanda Russell

      The person should take off the gloves before using the phone so that what is on the gloves does not contaminate the phone and spread germs to other staff.

      May 26, 2016
  21. Kit Mitchell

    The person in the picture should remove their gloves and wash their hands before answering the ‘phone or making a call.

    May 26, 2016
  22. peter kubota

    Gloved hand on the phone could:
    1) if the glove is unsed -> cross contaminate the phone for all future users
    2) if the glove is not used in patient care yet -> pick up germs from the phone and transfer them to the patient or other people/objects that will be touched after
    3)

    May 26, 2016
  23. kim warren

    No gloves on the phone!

    May 26, 2016