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Using
Gloves in Diapering
(Info obtained from the
Child Care Information Exchange 3/99-26)
-- from June 1999 issue of CCA's The "Ten" Times Newsletter
| Many child care
providers use latex or vinyl gloves as a barrier to
reduce contamination of their hands during diaper
changing or in cleaning up spills of body fluids.
Sometimes, using gloves gives caregivers a false sense of
sanitation. Many caregivers forget that when they touch
their gloved, soiled hand to a cabinet door, to a clean
diaper, or to any other surface, they are spreading
germs. Providers are reminded to remove soiled gloves
before touching any clean surface. Contaminated gloves do
nothing to prevent the spread of germs from one surface
to another. The Child Care Administration reminds child
care providers that they need to change gloves in between
the diaper changing of individual children to reduce
contamination and cut down on the spread of disease.
While gloves do reduce the amount of contamination of the
hands, they are no substitute for hand washing. Latex or
vinyl gloves may have microscopic holes that lead to some
hand contamination. Further, hands become contaminated
during the removal of soiled gloves. Hand washing should
be routine in situations where contamination with germs
may have occurred, even if the person wore gloves. Using
disposable gloves in the diapering procedure is
recommended, though it is not required. Soap and running water does the trick.
Use soap and friction (rubbing hands together for at
least ten seconds) followed by running water to remove
most of the germs. Waterless hand sanitizers can
supplement, but not replace, hand washing. |