Other Titles

Gloves Onor Off? Exploring the "Gloves-Off" Phenomenon in Hospital Settings [Title Slide]

Abstract

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a surge in the production and use of plastic single-use medical products, particularly single-use gowns, masks, and gloves. The proliferation of single-use medical products in care work highlights significant tensions between safety, cost, infection prevention and control (IPAC), and environmental concerns. Nurses are critical stakeholders in driving environmental sustainability within health systems as they are uniquely positioned at the intersection of patient care, supply utilization, IPAC, and waste generation. In recent years, ‘gloves-off’ campaigns have been introduced at some hospitals globally and in Ontario to attend to the environmental harms associated with unnecessary glove use. This shift in practice has shed light on a new phenomenon where the deliberate ‘taking off’ of gloves reflects a re-evaluation of long-standing cultural norms and risk perceptions that have shaped routine glove use. The overall study aim is to examine the conditions, processes, actors, and structures that promote or discourage the use of gloves within hospitals. Examining glove use serves as an entry point for exploring the broader implications of single-use products on the environment. A critical ethnography was conducted in Ontario, Canada using observations, interviews and document analysis as primary methods. A total of 25 key informants participated in interviews, including point-of-care staff, IPAC professionals, glove vendors, procurement personnel, environmental specialists and hospital leadership. Observations were conducted at public events including IPAC, health system, and industry conferences. Documents such as policy position statements, industry materials and IPAC documents related to gloves were analyzed for the study. Perspectives from Science and Technology Studies were used to analyze the data to explore how gloves are shaped by social, cultural, and institutional factors. Key findings include (1) glove norms extend beyond formal policies; (2) gloves function as a material response to risk perceptions in care work; and (3) tensions persist between material innovations and environmental benefits. These findings have implications for nursing practice and invite critical reflection on routine glove use. They also provide opportunity to advance policy related to single-use medical products, inform sustainable procurement strategies, and shape IPAC policies globally.

Notes

  • Presenter notes available in attached slide deck. To see the notes in Adobe Acrobat, go to Tools > Comment or look at your Layers Panel. If the notes were saved as comments or layers, you can toggle them visible.  
  • This work is supported by the following funding sources: University of Toronto, Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council – Canada Graduate Scholarship, Doctoral; and the University of Toronto, Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health, & Sustainable Care.
  • Reference list included in attached slide deck.

Description

Since COVID-19, single-use medical products has proliferated significantly in hospitals. Glove use in particular highlights tensions between safety, cost, infection control, and environmental concerns. This presentation highlights key findings from a critical ethnography conducted in Ontario, Canada that explores the complexity of conditions shaping glove use in hospitals. This study identifies policy opportunities to advance sustainable care in nursing practice and hospitals globally.

Author Details

Navisha Weerasinghe, PhD(c); Fiona A. Miller, PhD; Lisa Cranley, PhD; Quinn Grundy, PhD

Sigma Membership

Lambda Pi at-Large

Lead Author Affiliation

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Ethnography

Research Approach

Qualitative Research

Keywords:

Policy and Advocacy, Acute Care, Gloves, Hospital Care, Medical Practice, Hygiene, Hand Hygiene

Conference Name

37th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Conference Year

2026

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2026-08-06

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Gloves On or Off? A Critical Ethnographic Study Exploring Non-Sterile Glove Use in Hospital Settings

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a surge in the production and use of plastic single-use medical products, particularly single-use gowns, masks, and gloves. The proliferation of single-use medical products in care work highlights significant tensions between safety, cost, infection prevention and control (IPAC), and environmental concerns. Nurses are critical stakeholders in driving environmental sustainability within health systems as they are uniquely positioned at the intersection of patient care, supply utilization, IPAC, and waste generation. In recent years, ‘gloves-off’ campaigns have been introduced at some hospitals globally and in Ontario to attend to the environmental harms associated with unnecessary glove use. This shift in practice has shed light on a new phenomenon where the deliberate ‘taking off’ of gloves reflects a re-evaluation of long-standing cultural norms and risk perceptions that have shaped routine glove use. The overall study aim is to examine the conditions, processes, actors, and structures that promote or discourage the use of gloves within hospitals. Examining glove use serves as an entry point for exploring the broader implications of single-use products on the environment. A critical ethnography was conducted in Ontario, Canada using observations, interviews and document analysis as primary methods. A total of 25 key informants participated in interviews, including point-of-care staff, IPAC professionals, glove vendors, procurement personnel, environmental specialists and hospital leadership. Observations were conducted at public events including IPAC, health system, and industry conferences. Documents such as policy position statements, industry materials and IPAC documents related to gloves were analyzed for the study. Perspectives from Science and Technology Studies were used to analyze the data to explore how gloves are shaped by social, cultural, and institutional factors. Key findings include (1) glove norms extend beyond formal policies; (2) gloves function as a material response to risk perceptions in care work; and (3) tensions persist between material innovations and environmental benefits. These findings have implications for nursing practice and invite critical reflection on routine glove use. They also provide opportunity to advance policy related to single-use medical products, inform sustainable procurement strategies, and shape IPAC policies globally.