When should gloves be worn during medication administration?

Wearing gloves during medication administration is critical for maintaining safety and hygiene. Inserting suppositories and applying transdermal patches are two specific procedures where gloves are especially important. When dealing with these types of medications, you can come into direct contact with bodily fluids or the medications themselves, which may contain substances that could be harmful or irritating to the skin. Using gloves helps to prevent contamination and protects both the healthcare worker and the patient from potential cross-contamination or exposure to allergens and infection.

While there are instances where gloves might be appropriate during other activities, such as intravenous medication administration or taking vital signs, the use of gloves is particularly critical in the context of inserting suppositories and applying transdermal patches. This reinforces good infection control practices and protects against exposure to potentially hazardous materials. Thus, recognizing the appropriate times to wear gloves is essential for safe medication administration.