This is something the audit team sees all too often – staff come out of a patient room half way through care because they need a towel or sheet from the linen cart (and never the top one for some odd reason) – gloves should be removed immediately upon exiting the patients environment, hands cleaned, then proceed to the linen cart and/or supply room to get what you need.

What’s wrong with this picture? Week 7

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. Jenefer Albindia

    The staff should’nt use gloves when getting clean laundry, especiallyn if the gloves is used and contaminated it causes cross-conatmination of the clean towels. Always use clean technique when handling clean items esp. towels etc.

    June 24, 2016
  2. Cindy Lee

    No need to wear gloves to gather clean linen.

    June 23, 2016
  3. Kathy

    Dirty gloves contaminates the clean linen.

    June 21, 2016
  4. Rick Shun

    No need to wear gloves when you gather clean linen

    June 21, 2016
  5. Givan

    You don’t need to wear gloves to touch clean linen given you’ve sanitized/ washed your hands prior to prevent cross-contamination.

    June 20, 2016
  6. Jess

    It looks like the person is using dirty gloves to access clean laundry

    June 17, 2016
  7. Chris K

    Important practice is to wash hands in between patients and also wash hands before touching anything period especially clean linen if you have been in patient’s room. Not necessary to wear gloves when collecting linen but gloves for direct patient care. Are those gloves clean or dirty? Appropriate use of personal protective equipment is the key.

    June 17, 2016
  8. Cheryl Siu

    Using gloves to touch clean linen can contaminate the clean linens. Getting linens doean’t require to wear gloves

    June 17, 2016
  9. Teresa

    STAFF IS WEARING GLOVES AND TOUCHING CLEAN LINENS.

    June 17, 2016
  10. Courtney H

    Worker using possibly soiled gloves while sorting through clean linen.

    June 17, 2016
  11. Therese Bryan

    remove the dirty gloves, clean hands then get the clean laundry items.

    June 16, 2016
  12. Jillian

    You don’t need gloves on to pick up fresh linen. Looks like the gloves are ripped maybe because they caught on the watch. Should get rid of the watch. If the gloves were dirty they should have been taken off and proper hand washing procedures followed. They would need to put on fresh gloves before seeing the next patient.

    June 16, 2016
  13. Amanda

    If the gloves are dirty then they are contaminating the clean linens. In any case, retrieving clean linen doesn’t require wearing gloves. Just need to make sure that you practice good hand hygiene.

    June 16, 2016
  14. Katy Tucker

    that wristwatch is probably not a good idea either, it looks too close to the bottom of the gloves

    June 16, 2016
  15. Rick

    …wearing gloves to pick up “clean” linen??? How do we know this person has “clean” pair of gloves??? (Should be: Take gloves off….wash hands…pick up clean linen:)

    🙂

    June 16, 2016
  16. Megan

    Using potentially dirty gloves to grab clean linen

    June 16, 2016
  17. lucy

    take your filthy gloves off before you touch clean laundry.

    June 16, 2016
  18. Karen

    If the staff was wearing used gloves, then he/she is contaminating the clean linens!
    Gloves should be removed and hand hygiene performed before getting anything from the clean supplies area.

    June 16, 2016
  19. Sonja prevost

    Gloves should not be used when not indicated. The linen cart is not direct care to patient, nor in immediate surrounding environment of the patient.

    June 16, 2016
  20. Joya Gamache

    Are those clean gloves or gloves used on a patient and then contaminating ALL the clean linen?
    Don’t need to wear gloves when you gather clean linen.

    June 16, 2016
  21. Allison Dioxn

    What’s wrong withi this picture. First of all that person should not have gloves on . We don’t know where they have been and how long they have had those gloves on. Gloves should be taken of whenever you are touching laundry. Hopefully someone told that individual how bad that is.

    June 16, 2016
  22. Steven Arai

    Using gloves to access clean blankets.

    June 16, 2016