For a sterile wound dressing change, which type of gloves should be worn?

• A. Exam gloves
• B. Sterile gloves
• C. No gloves
• D. Any gloves

Answer: (B)

Sterile technique requires maintaining a sterile environment when changing a sterile wound dressing. Sterile gloves are used so that the barrier between your hands and the wound remains free of microorganisms at all times while you handle the dressing and wound site. Using non-sterile gloves, or no gloves, can introduce bacteria into the wound and contaminate the sterile field, increasing the risk of infection. Not all gloves are sterile, so relying on something that isn’t guaranteed to be sterile defeats the purpose of asepsis. Therefore, sterile gloves are the appropriate choice to preserve sterility during a sterile wound dressing change.