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At Medline, We Glove You
Exploring the ins and outs of medical gloves
By Ben Dodington, Group Product Manager, Medline Canada, Corporation
Gloves are not just a simple accessory worn by healthcare providers; they are vital to infection prevention and patient and staff safety, providing the first line of defence in healthcare settings.
Gloves can be used in various healthcare settings, each requiring different protection, feel, and comfort levels. By offering a wide variety of glove options, Medline ensures that the wearer's unique needs are met regardless of the care setting.
Choosing the Right Glove
When choosing a glove, consider the task. Heavier surgical gloves are available, while lighter gloves enhance tactile sensitivity during more delicate procedures. Guidelines for surgical procedures recommend double-gloving with sterile surgical gloves, so Medline has several under-glove options available that are darker in colour. This aids in the detection of micro-tears or pinholes during use. Double-gloving is recommended in all invasive procedures, and changing the top glove after 90 minutes will help maintain the barrier integrity of a surgical glove.
Ensure the glove you choose is comfortable and provides sufficient protection. Always wash hands when removing the gloves, and pay attention to the skin's condition. Using gloves enhanced with aloe or oatmeal supports healthy hands.
Glove Quality Consistency is Important
Medline analyzes trends at every point of sale and adheres to 40 percent more stringent Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) than Health Canada requirements. Medline’s strict AQL requirements mean customers receive a more consistent product with a reduced risk of defects or micro-perforations.
Reducing Glove tearing and don time
It takes an estimated 28 seconds to put on a standard clear vinyl glove, and 20 percent of the time, these gloves will rip or tear in the process, resulting in unusable gloves, lost time and frustration. Medline’s Glide-On Powder-Free Vinyl Exam Gloves have a special coating that helps to pull the gloves on faster — on average, in just 14 seconds — with rips and tears occurring just three percent of the time. For every 1,500 clear vinyl gloves, 300 may be wasted. With Glide-On, glove waste decreases to just 45 gloves.
Reducing Waste with Medline’s SmartBoX
Medline’s innovative glove packaging — the SmartBoX — includes a proprietary insert that propels gloves toward the box opening to minimize lost product when pulled from the box. The patent-pending design keeps gloves at the top, making pulling a single glove out easier every time, maximizing glove utilization and decreasing glove waste by 33 percent. With the implementation of SmartBoX, a 200-bed hospital using two million gloves a month could save 66,000 gloves a month.
Gloves, When You Need Them
Medline maintains a robust supply chain strategy by stocking more than three to six months' worth of inventory to ensure uninterrupted supply and to meet the demand for exam gloves. Our extensive network includes over 50 manufacturing facilities in seven countries, diversifying our supply sources and guarding against potential disruptions caused by natural disasters or economic uncertainties in any location.In Canada, Medline has 8 Distribution centres nationwide to serve Canadian Healthcare reliably.