Ninety Seven Percent of O.R. Nurses say Aloe-Coated Exam Gloves Would Improve Hand Hygiene Compliance

With hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers averaging just 40 percent, according to the World Health Organization, anything that will improve compliance would be beneficial – including improving skin condition with aloe vera. According to a recent poll, 97 percent of operating room nurses surveyed said that aloe-coated exam gloves would improve hand hygiene compliance in their facilities.

Conducted by Medline Industries, Inc., the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, the poll surveyed more than 500 clinicians at last week’s Association of periOperative Registered Nurses’ (AORN) 57th Congress in Denver. The poll also revealed that 84 percent of respondents said that poor skin condition was a barrier to hand hygiene compliance in their facilities.

“Clearly what clinicians are saying is that if healthcare workers’ hands feel better, there will be greater compliance to hand washing and glove protocols,” said Alecia Cooper, RN, MBA, CNOR, senior vice president, clinical services for Medline. “It would make sense then that we develop products that soothe and moisturize the skin to promote an environment for greater compliance.”

Cooper said hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers is one of the most effective forms of killing microorganisms and, in effect, reducing and preventing hospital- acquired infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that hand washing alone could prevent more than 20,000 patient deaths per year.

Medline’s hand hygiene compliance program contains its Aloetouch® exam gloves, which are coated on the inside with pure aloe vera gel to keep the skin soft. The program also includes Sterillium Comfort Gel®, which kills = 99.999 percent of a broad range of nosocomial pathogens within 15 seconds without water and Remedy® skin care products, to keep the skin moisturized and healthy.
About Medline

Medline, the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies and other markets. Headquartered in Mundelein, IL, Medline has more than 800 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.

Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and health care systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities, and on-staff clinicians.

Medline has a growing network of 34 distribution centers around the country, as well as an expanding, dedicated transportation fleet with over 200 vehicles in a variety of sizes to fit customers’ specific delivery needs. The fleet is equipped with the latest navigation devices for enhanced order tracking and communication.
Source: Medline