When should gloves be worn in a healthcare setting?

Gloves should be worn in a healthcare setting when there is a potential for hands to come into contact with blood, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin. This practice is crucial as it helps to prevent the transmission of infectious agents that can be present in blood and bodily fluids. Wearing gloves acts as a barrier to protect both healthcare providers and patients from possible infections or contaminations, thereby promoting a safer healthcare environment.

Other situations, such as interacting with patients or during cleaning procedures, may warrant the use of gloves as well, but the primary concern is the specific risk of exposure to blood and body fluids, which necessitates the use of gloves to effectively reduce the chance of cross-contamination and infection transmission.