Are health care providers required to wear gloves when giving vaccinations??

[grahamsmom98]

There is a photo on the front page of our local, small town newspaper of a Health Department nurse giving a H1N1 vaccination to a gal. The nurse is NOT wearing gloves.

This surprised me, I would have thought it is mandatory.

Just wondering if that is standard practice?

Can you tell we've not received shots of any type for years and years?!

[Marnica]

I work in a healthcare facility...it is standard practice to wear gloves when giving an injection of ANY KIND!!!!!!!

[tracymom1]

Jumping in from new posts...

Its called 'universal precautions' in the healthcare world. Once becoming infected with HIV became a major area of concern, healthcare providers adapted a set of rules to reduce the risk of transmission. This includes washing hands before and after coming in contact with a patient and wearing gloves whenever coming into potential contact with body fluids.

So, yes, she *should* have been wearing gloves - for her own protection. If its required, however, depends on the facility she works for.

[amnesiac]

It is not generally standard practice to glove for vaccine administration. It's only really recommended in certain situations but some places like hospitals may include it as a part of their policies. There just isn't typically much body fluid exposure believe it or not.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pin...pdx-full-d.pdf
http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/va_dec08.asp

[anj_rn]

It is required in most places. The key is "if there is possibility to come in contact with potentionally infected blood or body fluids." Since health care staff are required to treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious, logically they should wear gloves.

[amnesiac]

"Most places" will generally not include health departments and public health clinics. While it may seem counter-intuitive to nurses working in other environments like hospitals, vaccine administration does not generally result in blood or body fluid exposure preventable by gloving. Yes, they would be on hand should the need arise but they would not be worn for each vaccine encounter.

[katelove]

It is not standard practice in Australia. It is considered low risk of exposure to body fluids.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by katelove

It is not standard practice in Australia. It is considered low risk of exposure to body fluids.

Same here in Europe. No gloves necessary to give an injection.