Medical Grade Exam Gloves, Surgical Gloves, Nitrile Gloves

What are Exam Gloves?

Exam gloves are latex or synthetic-based disposable gloves that protect both healthcare professionals and their patients during interactions. By providing a physical barrier, the exam gloves help to prevent infection spreading from patient to healthcare professional or vice/versa.

The importance of these gloves in a healthcare environment cannot be overstated, as the FDA implores all providers to make use of them in order to maintain a safe patient-provider interaction. Gloves are typically composed of either latex or a synthetically crafted rubber (meant for use by patients or providers who have an allergy to latex).

How do I know which gloves I need?

Exam gloves come in many different sizes and constructions, each with different intentions in mind. Considering this, it is important for healthcare providers to understand which type of exam glove best suits the needs of their patients. Rehabmart is proud to offer a wide array of invaluable gloving options from reliable manufacturers such as North Coast, Medline, Independence Medical, Invacare, and many others.

Composition
The composition of gloves comes down to three common options. The most common are latex-based gloves. These gloves are typically the most cost-effective, but are not able to be used by any provider or patient with a latex allergy.

To account for those with latex allergies, the second option is synthetic-based gloving. Most commonly composed of a composite vinyl, these gloves provide the same reliable protection while also protecting against latex allergies.

The third (and least common) option are hemmed, nylon-based gloves. Typically meant for use to protect from scratching or leaving fingerprints, these lint-free gloves provide equal, reliable protection.

Size
While a simple consideration, the size of the glove is a pivotal decision nonetheless. Ideally, the glove will be loose enough to avoid ripping while remaining tight enough to prevent excess space within the glove. Most gloving options provide sizing explanations so customers can have the perfect-fitting glove.

Specialization
As was noted previously, some gloves come specialized for particular types of patient interactions. The three most common specialized gloves are surgical, powdered, and chemotherapy.

Surgical Gloves – One of the most common types of specialized gloves are surgical gloves. These gloves provide unparalleled protection along with cuffs intended to prevent the glove from rolling down during surgery.

Powdered Gloves – These gloves come with a glove powder applied to them. This powder acts as an antibacterial agent and further prevents the spread of infection.

Chemotherapy Gloves – Given the often immunocompromised status of many chemotherapy patients, these gloves are notably thicker than standard exam gloves and are intended to withstand a great deal of fatigue, as chemotherapy providers bear gloves in all their practices.

Hulet Smith, OTR/L
Rehabmart Co-Founder & CEO

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