Medline Asks U.S. Hospitals to Help Soothe Healthcare Workers' Hands in 10-Day Hand Care Challenge

Medline Industries, Inc. is asking hospitals across the U.S. whose nurses struggle with dry, irritated skin on the job, to try its Restore™ nitrile exam gloves coated with colloidal oatmeal and take a hand care challenge. The Restore nitrile glove is designed to help soothe healthcare professionals’ hands by helping to maintain the skin’s moisture to prevent and protect dry skin. It is made with colloidal oatmeal, a USP skin protectant drug that can temporarily protect and help relieve minor skin irritation and itching from rashes or eczema, as indicated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Hands are a caregiver’s most valuable set of tools, but they often become the most vulnerable tools as a result of constant hand washing, scrubbing and sanitizing,” says Martie Moore, RN, MAOM, CPHQ, chief nursing officer for Medline. “This challenge is a simple way to bring greater attention to the important link between hand hygiene compliance and skin care.”

Preliminary results show Restore nitrile gloves resonate with nurses. Medline, in collaboration with Scrubs magazine, recently challenged a panel of nurses from across the country to see if Restore nitrile gloves could help soothe and soften their hands. After 10 days, here’s what they had to say:

- Overall, 74 percent experience problem hands frequently or at least several times per week.
- 78 percent said their hands felt soft at work after wearing Restore nitrile gloves. Prior to the challenge, only 1 percent had said their hands felt soft at work.
- 70 percent said their hands felt moisturized as a result of wearing Restore nitrile gloves. Prior to the challenge, no participants felt their current gloves made their hands feel moisturized.
- 82 percent were content with the condition of their hands at work after wearing Restore nitrile gloves. Prior to the challenge, only 4 percent were content with the condition of their hands at work.
- Additionally, 92 percent said they would recommend the Restore nitrile gloves to others.

This past fall, nurses from ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital in Waukesha, Wis., also trialed Restore nitrile gloves and the feedback was overwhelming.

“Hand hygiene is non-negotiable. It’s the number one thing healthcare workers can do to prevent the spread of infection and keep patients safe,” says Barb Olstad, BSN, MS, RNC, clinical manager at Waukesha Memorial Hospital. “When nurses’ hands hurt from irritated or dry skin, maintaining moisture and relief in a pair of gloves can definitely help the well-being of staff and that’s what we found while using Restore.”

Join the Hand Care Challenge at: www.medline.com/restorechallenge. Facilities will need to take a 10-day break from the usual gloves they don and replace them with the Restore nitrile glove, to experience how Restore nitrile gloves can help soothe and moisturize clinician hands. After 10 days, tell Medline what you think-send your feedback and any photos.

A number of skin studies have examined how clinician hands compare to those who don’t participate in frequent handwashing and conclude that healthcare workers are vulnerable to dry skin more than any other group of professionals.

In an informal poll from Medline University, more than 70 percent of nurses said they would be more compliant about hand hygiene if their hands felt better.

“From assessing a patient to consoling family members, hands are critical and we need to change our thinking about how to protect them,” says Moore. 

Source: Medline Industries Inc.