Week 6 Ch 11, 12 Hand Hygiene& PPE Flashcards
Resident flora
Resident skin flora:
Resident skin flora:
• microorganisms that colonize on skin and become permanent residents
• always on skin and can never be removed totally, even with surgical scrub
Transient flora
Transient skin flora:
• contaminates hands during touching of, or exposure to, contaminated surfaces
• does not colonize or remain on hands for long periods of time
• can be removed or greatly reduced by routine hand washing
• contaminated microorganisms remain primarily on outer layer of skin
Reactions to Gloves
- Irritant contact dermatitis
- Allergic contact dermatitis
- Latex allergy
Irritant Contact Dermatitis
• Non-immunological irritation of skin from non latex chemicals in
•Hands become dry, reddened, itchy, or even cracked
• To prevent recurrence, need to identify irritant and perform prop glove hygiene
•One may also need to change glove brands
What initiates this dermatitis:
Hand washing with irritating cleaners or antiseptics
2. Failure to rinse or dry completely
3. Excessive perspiration on the hands
4. Irritations from cornstarch powder
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
• Type IV ‘delayed hypersensitivity’, within 24-48 hours
• Most commonly occurring reaction to gloves
• Limited to the areas of contact.
• Characterized by: redness, itching & vesicles within 24-48 hours followed by dry skin, fissures & sores
• Prevention: eliminate contact with the sensitizing agent completely
** Hypoallergenic” just means reduced levels of certain chemicals not necessarily free of all potentially harmful reactions
Latex Allergy
• Type I hypersensitivity; ‘immediate hypersensitivity’
• Symptoms usually occur within 20 minutes after contact
• Airborne latex proteins- present in the glove cornstarch powder
• Characterized by:
• hives, redness, burning & itching
• Respiratory symptoms, asthma -> anaphylactic
Side note: Medical history should include questions on latex allergy
Placing and Removing PPE to limit spread of MOs, as per PH
