ABSTRACT
The guidance on latex allergy recommends that powdered gloves be removed from hospitals as recognised to be a major contributor to latex hypersensitivity (Medical Devices Agency, 1996; 1998). Nottingham City Hospital responded to these recommendations by drafting guidelines on the usage of gloves (Nottingham City Hospital, 1998) and information on alternative products. The provision of gloves throughout the hospital was also reviewed with the intention of standardising the purchasing across specialties. A review of relevant literature suggested very little research had considered the ergonomic factors related to glove design with consideration to nurses, who represent a large population of users. To ensure that the design of the sterile or non-sterile gloves used by nurses, at Nottingham City Hospital, facilitate rather than hinder their tasks a comparison of various glove types was considered appropriate. Therefore a pilot study was undertaken to develop a protocol for the comparative testing of both sterile and non-sterile gloves and assist in developing a method capable of providing an evidence-based decision for the recommendation of a suitable supplier.
