Should the gloves used for staff protection during instrument processing be made of nitrile?
A The key features to look for in utility gloves — the gloves worn when processing instruments — are “heavy-duty”(1) and “puncture resistant” to provide more protection to the hands than thinner, patient-care gloves can afford. Nitrile, latex, and other materials such as butyl rubber may be used to manufacture heavy-duty or puncture resistant gloves. Nitrile examination or treatment gloves, however, do not meet this requirement.
