Ventyv Blog: Exam Gloves vs. General Purpose Gloves

23 Dec.,2024

 

Ventyv Blog: Exam Gloves vs. General Purpose Gloves

In any healthcare setting you&#;ll find multiple reasons to use gloves. But one glove may not serve well for all applications. To optimize performance with cost efficiency and access the appropriate level of infection protection, you&#;ll need to match the kind of glove to your intended activity. 

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General purpose gloves are disposable gloves that are great as hygiene aids for activities like food handling and housekeeping. Medical or exam gloves, on the other hand, need to be worn when directly in contact with a patient outside the OR, or other surgical sites; since surgical gloves need to be worn in those areas Here we take a closer look at what you need to know about how medical and industrial gloves differ:

 

Differences in Material

Gloves are often made from either latex, nitrile or vinyl. Which material is used to make a new set of gloves depends on the tasks they&#;re intended for. 

  • Latex is a popular choice in both medical and industrial settings because of its flexibility and how well it fits your hand. Though Natural Rubber Latex (NRL) gloves are comfortable and allow for dextrous work, latex sensitivity is so widespread that it isn&#;t always the practical choice in healthcare settings. When it is a feasible choice, it can help you withstand high heat and resist caustic substances and detergents.



  • Nitrile is a synthetic latex alternative that&#;s significantly more durable and chemical resistant. They&#;re also exceptionally puncture resistant. Less elastic than latex, they tend to shred easily when torn.       

 

  • Vinyl gloves are another, less-durable, latex alternative. Where nitrile gloves can be used in similar situations to their latex counterparts, vinyl gloves are best suited in environments that don&#;t expose you to working with hazardous materials. Because they don&#;t have much tensile strength, vinyl gloves also fit your hand more loosely.  

 

Differences in use Cases

Disposable gloves are categorized according to their intended use. Medical gloves &#; including examination and surgical gloves, and those used to handle chemotherapy agents &#; are categorized by the FDA as medical devices that need to pass stringent technical tests before they can be labeled as safe for surgery or medical examination. This means they&#;re vetted for things like stretchability, leak and have an AQL of 2.5.     

Industrial grade (or general purpose) gloves fall under the FDA&#;s jurisdiction if they are used in the food industry. These general purpose gloves are generally used as personal protection for janitorial and sanitation tasks, or for non-medical laboratory tasks.

 

The Question of Powder

In , the FDA published a rule banning the use of powder on surgical and examination gloves. While powder acts as a lubricant and helps you don and doff gloves more easily, they are linked to avoidable health risks including severe airway inflammation and allergic reactions such as asthma. Latex and nitrile medical gloves are therefore now typically chlorinated or coated with polymers to aid with donning and doffing in these environments. 

On the other hand, powdered general purpose gloves remain a practical choice outside of medical examination and surgical settings. 

 

Size

Finding the right sized glove maximizes comfort and dexterity, and also ensures your safety &#; if your gloves are too loose, they might slip off and increase the likelihood of microbial contamination. Gloves that are too small or tight contribute to hand fatigue and decreased dexterity.  

 

Texture

A textured surface can improve grip in wet and dry conditions. Before you purchase, however, you&#;d need to confirm whether you&#;d do best with fully textured gloves, or ones that are only textured on the fingertips. 

 

Color

While color seems like a matter of preference, distinct colors can help you distinguish between different kinds of gloves. In a busy healthcare setting, this can save you precious seconds. In the food industry, brightly colored gloves help identify any fragments that might contaminate food after a rip or tear. 

 

Want more information on food gloves vs medical gloves? Feel free to contact us.

Finishes

Chlorination and polymer coating are alternative finishes to powder, and help with donning and doffing medical grade gloves. Chlorination, for example, will make the glove have a satin-like finish while also reducing the latex allergen content. Industrial, or general purpose gloves may be powdered. This finish absorbs moisture and makes them easier to wear for long periods

When you&#;re choosing those new exam gloves for your practice, considering these key differences will help you find the right match. What you need is a glove that&#;s the correct size, fits properly and is designed for your needs. 

Ventyv&#; leads the charge in personal protection. Our range of examination and general purpose gloves cover all your needs. Our new exam gloves come in latex and nitrile options:

  • Ventyv® Polymed® is a powder-free, multi-layered latex exam glove that offers the elasticity of latex with the strength of copolymers. Our TLC version comes with an aloe and Vitamin E coating that protects against dry and cracking skin. 
  • Our nitrile, powder-free range of exam gloves include options with aloe & Vitamin E coating (ULTRA 3.5 Flamingo), texturing and tested for use with chemotherapy drugs (PLUS 5.0 Bull), and design that ensures a natural fit for unrestricted hand motion that reduces hand fatigue (SELECT 3.0 Walrus).
  • Our Core 5.0 (Whale) model is a latex powdered General Purpose glove that is durable and comfortable for extended use in non-medical applications.

From healthcare to food handling, cleaning and sanitation, and everything in between &#; we&#;ve got you covered. Let&#;s Outsmart Infection&#; together and change the world for the better.

Understanding the Differences Between Nitrile, Latex, and ...

Disposable gloves are an essential item in any healthcare environment. They not only protect healthcare providers and patients from exposure to potentially dangerous microbes, they also help set a precedent of hygiene and care across the industry. While this shouldn&#;t come as a surprise, what you might not have realized is that disposable gloves aren&#;t all created equal.

Different materials and design choices make certain products better suited for different medical environments. And if you order the wrong type of glove for your practice, you may end up wasting resources and increasing the risk of punctures, rips, and tears.

Disposable gloves are generally made from one of three materials: nitrile, latex, or vinyl. In this blog, we&#;ll explore what makes these gloves different from each other, as well as offer guidance into which environments each type is best suited for.

Latex gloves

For decades, latex has been the rockstar of the medical disposable glove world. This is because, as noted by  Darwin Brown in Physician Assistant, latex gloves were recommended protection in the s and s against bloodborne pathogens like HIV. But as their popularity increased, so did cases of allergic reactions. This led to more demand for latex-free disposable glove alternatives, like nitrile and vinyl. For those who aren&#;t allergic, latex gloves are comfortable, relatively cost-effective, and offer a high degree of touch sensitivity.

With high levels of flexibility, protection, and comfort, disposable latex gloves are suitable for most medical environments -- as long as latex allergies are not an issue.

Vinyl gloves

Vinyl gloves are made from PVC, a petroleum-based film. The primary benefit of vinyl disposable gloves is that they&#;re inexpensive to manufacture. That being said, they are less durable than latex and nitrile, and they offer limited protection against chemical or biomedical exposure. When vinyl gloves are stretched or flexed, the individual molecules separate and the integrity of the protective barrier is compromised. Vinyl gloves have also raised a red flag in terms of their environmental impact, as noted by  Health & Safety International.

Due to their low cost and low protection levels, vinyl gloves are commonly used in non-hazardous and low-infection environments.

Nitrile gloves                                                                    

Nitrile gloves came to prominence in the s as a leading latex alternative. While they&#;re not as elastic or flexible as their latex counterparts, disposable nitrile gloves are notably more durable and resistant to chemicals. As such, these gloves are the ideal choice for anyone who has to handle potentially hazardous and corrosive chemicals. They are also perfectly suited for most medical environments, being exceptionally puncture-resistant and eliminating the risk of latex allergy reactions.

Understanding these key differences will help you make the right decision when selecting new exam gloves for your organization&#;s unique medical environment. Ventyv® provides a wide variety of disposable nitrile and latex gloves for a multitude of uses and needs. Our gloves provide the strength and barrier protection needed to Outsmart Infection®. 

To learn more about these gloves and how they can help,  contact us.

Are you interested in learning more about high quality tech gloves wholesale? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!