Latex Gloves Research Articles

Developing a Comprehensive Surgical Simulation Program for Medical Students in the Rwandan Context

INTRODUCTION: Simulation is a recognized tool for effective technical and nontechnical surgical skills training in a low-risk environment. Although benefits are obvious for both high- and low-income contexts, most simulation curricula have been targeted to high-resource settings. We report on the development and implementation of a surgical simulation curriculum for undergraduate medical students in rural Rwanda. METHODS: Content areas were identified through a modified Delphi process implemented across sub-Saharan Africa, with emphasis on the needs of surgical teams practicing in district hospitals. Sixty-eight surgical practitioners and educators across Eastern, Central, Southern, and West Africa participated. An interdisciplinary team of simulation specialists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, medical educators, and medical students generated scenario- and procedure-based content for the junior surgical clerkship simulation curriculum. RESULTS: Participants had 75% agreement on 32 procedures and scenarios which could potentially be taught using simulation. Agreement was highest for aseptic technique, surgical gloving and gowning, consent, basic suturing techniques, and use of local anesthesia. The simulation training schedule (Table) was designed to begin with a 12-session simulation-intensive week, followed by 8 sessions spread over the 11-week clerkship. These sessions combined the use of high-fidelity mannequins with improvised, bench-top surgical simulators like the GlobalSurgBox, and low-cost gelatin-based models to effectively replace resource intensive options. Table. - Surgical Simulation Sessions for the Simulation Intensive Week and Weekly Sessions Week Simulation Curriculum Content Simulation Intensive Week Day 1 Informed Consent, WHO Safety Checklist, Patient Positioning, Patient Draping Day 2 Local Anesthesia, Introduction to Surgical Instruments, Introduction to Knot Tying, Introduction to Suturing Day 3 Interactive ATLS, Basic Airway Management, Chest Tube Insertion, Focused Assessment Sonography for Trauma Ultrasound, Log-roll Day 4 Drainage of Superficial Abcess, Wound Debridement and Drainage, Excision and Biopsy of a Cutaneous Lesion Day 5 Endotracheal Intubation and Trauma Simulation Scenarios Weekly Session 1-8 Venous Access (Peripheral and Central), Insertion of Nasogastric Tubes, Intestinal Obstruction Scenarios, Rectal Examination and Proctoscopy, Breast Examination and Biopsy, Urethral and Suprapubic Catheterization, Splinting and Plaster of Paris Application, Head Trauma Scenarios, Burn Patient Assessment and Management CONCLUSION: Emphasis on contextualized content generation, low-cost application, and interdisciplinary design of simulation curricula for low-income settings is essential. The impact of this curriculum on students’ knowledge and skill acquisition is being assessed in an ongoing fashion as a substrate for iterative improvement.

The Controller Is the Problem: Endoscopic Proficiency Is Affected by Hand Size When Controlling for Dexterity

INTRODUCTION: Surgical specialties are historically male dominated. Endoscope controllers are traditionally a one-size-fits-all design for the average male hand size of 7.5 inches. However, female specialists, who often have smaller hand sizes, are becoming more prevalent in endoscopy-related fields, yet instrument engineering has not reflected this shift. Our study aims to determine if hand size, independent of innate ability, affects endoscopic and bronchoscopic proficiency. METHODS: A total of 54 medical students without previous endoscopic experience participated in a manual dexterity test as a control, followed by large-controller endoscopic and small-controller bronchoscopic simulation exercises. Outer surgical glove sizes were recorded, completion times were corrected for wall contact, and participants were stratified by glove size (<7.5 inches and ≥ 7.5 inches). Data analysis included independent Student’s t-test and multivariate models by linear regression. RESULTS: Mean endoscopic completion time was significantly longer in participants with <7.5-inch size gloves (p = 0.01). However, participants with glove size <7.5 inches had better dexterity measures (p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis supported these findings, as hand size correlated with endoscopy speed (p = 0.003). Conversely, there was no significant difference in mean bronchoscopy completion time based on hand size (p = 0.61), which was reiterated on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Participants with larger hand size had a clear advantage with the larger endoscopic controller, irrespective of dexterity. Meanwhile, there was no difference in time among hand size using the smaller bronchoscopic controller. Our results suggest that controller size affects endoscopic proficiency, thus emphasizing the need to change endoscope controller design to account for hand size variability as the population of operators becomes more diverse.

Evaluation of Surgical Glove Perforation and Sharps Injury in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

The risk of exposure to infections during surgery is partly mitigated by gloving. However, perforation can reduce the effectiveness of gloving as a barrier to exposure. This study aimed at investigating the frequency of surgical glove perforation and factors predictive of these in our oral and maxillofacial surgical practice. The study was carried out at the National Hospital and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. Consenting patients requiring oral surgical interventions were consecutively recruited into the study. Similarly, surgeons and their assistants who consented to the study were also enlisted in the study. At the end of every surgical procedure, gloves used by the surgeons and the assistants were tested for perforation. Variables investigated included the rate of perforations, the influence of the type of gloving, single versus double gloving, type of anaesthesia, and duration of surgery on rates. At a minimum of three operators per procedure, a total of 154 participants were involved in the study and 895 gloves were used. The number of glove perforations was 117(13.1%) with 82 (70.1%) involving the surgeons. There were 58/117 (49.6%) cases of perforation involving the dominant hand. Forefinger glove perforation accounted for 62 (52.9%) cases. Wire-related perforations were 72 (61.5%). Overall, nine cases of percutaneous injury were recorded. Duration of operation and double gloving were the predictive factors for perforations. Risk of sharps injury was relatively high due to the high incidence of glove perforation.

Development of bio fabricated gold nanoparticles for disinfectant applications in impregnated medical gloves to improve the personal protection during the nursing care

The present study involves the use of Gnidia glauca (G.glauca) leaf extract in the fabrication of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), dip-coated onto the surface of gloves and their antimicrobial properties were studied for use in nursing care. The prepared Au NPs were studied by various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Au NPs were Purple in color with a characteristic plasmon resonance peak on the surface at a wavelength of 532 nm. The images of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the Au NPs with size ranging from 22–35 nm. The crystalline size and nature of Au NPs was demonstrated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Further, antimicrobial results showed that the AuNPs-coated gloves demonstrated good antibacterial effect, notably against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Hence, the highly effective AuNPs-coated gloves may be ideal candidates for preventing or minimising indirect microbial transmission and cross-contamination in nursing care.

Faecal shedding of cryptosporidium oocysts in goats in Nsukka, Enugu State: a potential threat to man

Cryptosporidiosis is one of the most important diseases in young ruminants causing diarrhoea in neonates and immune-compromised animals leading to substantial economic losses both directly and indirectly in animals and animal products and also imposing public health threats as a zoonotic disease. This study aimed at investigating the occurrence of cryptosporidium oocyst in goats in Nsukka metropolis to facilitate further studies on the zoonotic transmission of the disease agent. Faecal samples were collected from household WAD goats from three randomly selected villages in Nsukka L.G.A of Enugu State. A total of 100 goats were purposively sampled, and faecal samples were collected par rectum using disposable latex gloves and transported to the Veterinary Parasitology laboratory, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for further analysis. Faecal samples were concentrated using the Formol-ether concentration method and cryptosporidium oocysts were detected using a modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. The sample was considered positive when at least one oocyst with the correct morphologic characters was observed. Data obtained were analysed using the Chi-square test and the differences in the prevalence of cryptosporidium oocysts within each variable (Age, sex, and stool consistency) were compared. A probability of less than 0.05 was considered significant. The overall prevalence of cryptosporidium oocysts was 24%. There was a significant association between the prevalence of cryptosporidium oocysts and the sex of the goats sampled, while there were no significant associations between the prevalence of cryptosporidium oocysts and the age of the goats sampled and consistency of the faeces. The wide presence of these oocysts is of public health significance as apparent healthy goats were also shedding the oocysts. Efforts should be directed towards improving our management systems in order to prevent the menace of the public health threat. Further studies are recommended to provide evidence for other sources and factors that might influence cryptosporidiosis in the area.

Controller size matters: User proficiency is affected by endoscopic controller size

BackgroundEndoscope controllers are traditionally a one-size-fits-all design. However, this design may not fit the modern workforce in endoscopy-related fields. Our study aims to determine if endoscopic controller size, independent of user dexterity, affects user proficiency. Methods54 endoscopically naive participants completed a baseline dexterity test, followed by large-controller endoscopic and small-controller bronchoscopic simulation exercises. Participants were stratified by surgical glove size (≥7.5 and < 7.5) and gender. ResultsEndoscopy time was longer in participants with <7.5 size gloves (p = 0.01) and in females (p < 0.001). However, participants with glove size <7.5 had better dexterity measures (p = 0.04). There was no difference in bronchoscopy time based on glove size (p = 0.61). ConclusionsParticipants with larger hands were more proficient with the larger controller despite being less dexterous than their counterparts. This advantage was less pronounced with the smaller controller. Our findings suggest that endoscopic controllers should be modified in design to accommodate all providers.

Donning Gloves Before Surgical Gown Cross-contaminates the Assistant

BackgroundMaintaining a sterile surgical environment is of the upmost importance in total joint arthroplasty. The surgical gown-glove interface is a frequent and known cause of bacterial contamination. A variation of the traditional staff-assisted open-gloving technique has been developed in an attempt to address this. In this method, the surgeon dons their undergloves before their gown. Although this has demonstrated improved sterility for the surgeon, no studies have considered the effects of this technique on the person assisting the surgeon. The present study was designed to investigate this. We hypothesize that the process of donning undergloves before the surgical gown leads to higher rates of contamination for the assistant. MethodsWe performed a comparative study between the traditional and a gloves-first scrubbing technique. We assessed the differences in gown and glove contamination of the surgical assistant following each scrubbing event. Two surgeons applied ultraviolet light-disclosing lotion to their upper extremities and then performed each method in a randomized order with 40 surgical technologists/nurses. Blinded evaluators then quantified the amount of contamination on the surgical assistant's gown and gloves. ResultsThe gloves-first technique resulted in increased contamination of the surgical assistant's gloves (P = .002). There was no difference in contamination of the surgical gown (P =.982). ConclusionsAlthough the staff-assisted open-gloving technique may improve the sterility of the surgeon, it does so at the expense of the surgical assistant. Surgeons adopting this technique should consider donning their own undergloves or having the assistant rescrub before any further contact with the sterile environment.

Contact dermatitis induced by the use of latex gloves in employees of a university hospital

Contact dermatitis induced by the use of latex gloves in employees of a university hospital

A Comparative Study on X-ray Shielding and Mechanical Properties of Natural Rubber Latex Nanocomposites Containing Bi2O3 or BaSO4: Experimental and Numerical Determination.

This work experimentally determined the X-ray shielding and morphological, density, and tensile properties of sulfur-vulcanized natural rubber latex (SVNRL) nanocomposites containing varying content of nano-Bi2O3 or nano-BaSO4 from 0 to 200 phr in 100 phr increments, with modified procedures in sample preparation to overcome the insufficient strength of the samples found in other reports. The experimental X-ray shielding results, which were numerically verified using a web-based software package (XCOM), indicated that the overall X-ray attenuation abilities of the SVNRL nanocomposites generally increased with increasing filler content, with the 0.25-mm-thick SVNRL films containing 200 phr of the filler providing the highest overall X-ray shielding properties, as evidenced by the highest values of lead equivalence (Pbeq) of 0.0371 mmPb and 0.0326 mmPb in Bi2O3/SVNRL nanocomposites, and 0.0326 mmPb and 0.0257 mmPb in BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites, for 60 kV and 100 kV X-rays, respectively. The results also revealed that the addition of either filler increased the tensile modulus at 300% elongation (M300) and density but decreased the tensile strength and the elongation at break of the Bi2O3/SVNRL and BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites. In addition, the modified procedures introduced in this work enabled the developed nanocomposites to acquire sufficient mechanical and X-ray shielding properties for potential use as medical X-ray protective gloves, with the recommended content of Bi2O3 and BaSO4 being in the range of 95–140 phr and 105–120 phr, respectively (in accordance with the requirements outlined in ASTM D3578-19 and the value of Pbeq being greater than 0.02 mmPb). Consequently, based on the overall outcomes of this work, the developed Bi2O3/SVNRL and BaSO4/SVNRL nanocomposites show great potential for effective application in medical X-ray protective gloves, while the modified procedures could possibly be adopted for large-scale production.

1552O Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) prevention trial evaluating the efficacy of hand-cooling and compression in patients undergoing taxan-based (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy for primary breast cancer: First results of the prospective, randomized POLAR trial

CIPN is a common, dose-limiting side effect of taxane-based chemotherapy. Currently there is no established strategy for prevention or treatment. Smaller studies suggest that cooling or compression could have a preventive effect. In this randomized trial we investigated the effectiveness of one-sided hand-cooling or compression for the prevention of CIPN. 122 breast cancer patients who received weekly (nab-)paclitaxel-based (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy were 1:1 randomized to either cooling or compression of the dominant hand. No intervention was performed on the other hand. Cooling was performed with a frozen glove (Elasto-Gel; 84400APT Cedex, Akromed), compression was applied by two surgical gloves (one size smaller than tight-fitting size) 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes after taxane therapy. The primary endpoint was efficacy to prevent grade ≥2 sensory polyneuropathy evaluated by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0 (CTCAE). In a second hierarchical test, CIPN rates between both intervention groups were compared. CIPN was further assessed by the Total Neuropathy Score (TNSc), patient self-report questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ-CIPN20), MR-neurography (n=21) and nerve conduction studies. Additionally, we evaluated onycholysis, skin toxicity, quality of life, CIPN-associated dose-reductions, treatment discontinuations and potential risk factors. Cooling and compression were highly effective in preventing grade ≥2 CIPN (cooling: 25 vs. 46%; p-value=0.0008; compression: 23 vs. 39%; p-value=0.0016) with similar efficacy (no significant difference was found: p-value=0.7303). MR-neurography was highly sensitive for detecting CIPN showing increased T2 nerve-to-muscle signal ratio indicating edematous nerve changes. Updated results will be presented. POLAR is the first trial to compare cooling and compression for preventing CIPN. Both interventions were highly effective and almost halved the risk of grade ≥2 CIPN. These findings could play an important role beyond gynecological oncology.

Knot tying in arthroplasty and arthroscopy causes lesions to surgical gloves: a potential risk of infection

PurposeRecent studies have shown that the incidence of glove lesions during arthroscopy is much lower than that during primary and revision arthroplasty. However, the rate of glove damage after knot tying has not yet been systematically recorded. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the impact of surgical knot tying on glove integrity. It was hypothesized that knot tying increases the rate of glove damage, especially in arthroscopic surgery, which could be of special relevance in the treatment of rotator cuff tears.MethodsGloves that were changed immediately before suturing and only worn during knot tying were investigated for their integrity by means of water tightening test according to EN455. A total of 234 gloves from 40 total hip arthroplasties (THAs), 42 total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) and 36 rotator cuff repairs (RCRs) were collected. A bacterial pass-through test (BPTT) on glove lesions was performed under simulated sterile surgical conditions for 3 surgeons after a wear duration of 45 min.ResultsGlove damage by knot tying occurred in 25% of THA, 36.6% of TKA and 25% of RCR surgeries. In THA, the pulling hand (PH) was affected in 46.2%, and the main area of damage (15.4%) was detected on the tip of the middle finger; in TKAs the PH was damaged in 75%, and in RCRs the PH was affected in 66.7%, with most of the lesions (20% each) occurring on the tip of the index finger and the ring finger. The BPTT showed Staphylococcus hominis and Bacillus cereus.ConclusionIntraoperative knot tying causes damage to gloves, which is of special relevance for arthroscopic surgery. Whereas knot tying is only partly responsible for glove damage in arthroplasty, the general rate of glove damage in arthroscopic surgery is low without knot tying. The surgical knot tying process must be understood as a possible damaging impact on the glove. Therefore, single gloving is not recommended, which is especially important in arthroscopic surgery, where double gloving is not yet standard.Level of EvidenceIV.

Proof of Concept for the Detection with Custom Printed Electrodes of Enterobactin as a Marker of Escherichia coli.

The rapid and decentralized detection of bacteria from biomedical, environmental, and food samples has the capacity to improve the conventional protocols and to change a predictable outcome. Identifying new markers and analysis methods represents an attractive strategy for the indirect but simpler and safer detection of pathogens that could replace existing methods. Enterobactin (Ent), a siderophore produced by Escherichia coli or other Gram-negative bacteria, was studied on different electrode materials to reveal its electrochemical fingerprint—very useful information towards the detection of the bacteria based on this analyte. The molecule was successfully identified in culture media samples and a future goal is the development of a rapid antibiogram. The presence of Ent was also assessed in wastewater and treated water samples collected from the municipal sewage treatment plant, groundwater, and tap water. Moreover, a custom configuration printed on a medical glove was employed to detect the target in the presence of another bacterial marker, namely pyocyanin (PyoC), that being a metabolite specific of another pathogen bacterium, namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Such new mobile and wearable platforms offer considerable promise for rapid low-cost on-site screening of bacterial contamination.

Urinary metabolites of diazinon and chlorpyrifos in sprayer operators and farm workers of a potato farm

In order to investigate the effect of diazinon and chlorpyrifos on agricultural workers exposed to pesticides, urinary metabolites 2-Isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinol (IMPy) and 3,5,6-Trichloro-2-pyridinol (TPCy) in farm workers, sprayer operators, and non-exposed people as a control group were measured. The modified QuEChERS method was applied to extract samples and was measured using a gas chromatograph/nitrogen-phosphorus detector. The obtained results showed that the median concentrations of TCPy were 36.92–547.7 and 7.7–49.58 ng/mL for sprayer operators and farm workers, respectively. Moreover, the median concentrations of IMPy were 81.66–593.1 ng/mL for sprayer operators and 40.6–66.1 ng/mL for farm workers. The control group had no measurable metabolites. The IMPy level of 60% of sprayer operators was significantly higher (P ˂ 0.05) than the TCPy level. The analysis of variance highlighted the significant relationship (P ˂ 0.05) between the levels of each metabolite and the use of safety gloves, respiratory masks, safety goggles, working time per week, and type of insecticide exposure. Our findings revealed the need to measure the urinary metabolites of these insecticides in other exposed workers. Also, workers should be taught the impact of using personal protective equipment.

Utility of Surgical Glove made for Various Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery

Utility of Surgical Glove made for Various Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery

High-efficiency antibacterial and barrier properties of natural rubber/graphene oxide@Ag/carboxymethyl chitosan composites

ABSTRACT Natural rubber (NR) latex gloves serve as a very important barrier protection for health care workers. It is of great significance to study the barrier and antibacterial properties of NR latex products. Herein, a small amount of graphene oxide (GO) with in situ grown silver (Ag) nanoparticles was self-assembled in the NR latex by carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) as a cross-linking agent to form a novel NR/GO-Ag-CMCS composite with three-dimensional filler networks. The filler networks in the NR/GO-Ag-CMCS composite were formed by a strong interfacial interaction between NR macromolecules and GO-Ag-CMCS hybrids. The tensile strength and tear strength of NR/GO-Ag-CMCS composite were higher than those of pure NR film. With the increase of GO content, the filler network of NR/GO-Ag-CMCS film tended to be more complete and its barrier was stronger. Moreover, the NR/GO-Ag-CMCS composite showed excellent antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The minimal inhibitory concentration values of GO-Ag-CMCS hybrid to E. coli and S. aureus were 8 and 16 μg/mL, respectively. For the NR/GO-Ag-CMCS composite with 0.1 phr GO, the diameters of its inhibition zone were 15.6 mm for E. coli and 13.6 mm for S. aureus.

The strange history of surgical gloves in orthopaedic surgery (part I): from no gloves and no hand washing to the introduction of cotton gloves in orthopaedic surgery.

The goal was to evaluate the advent of surgical gloves during the eighteenth century, nineteenth century, and the beginning of the twentieth century. We used first drawings and paintings, then historical photographs identified in books after 1830 (date of discovery of the photography) or in medical reports of surgery and anesthesiologists. The pictures determined the presence or absence of gloves in the period corresponding to the changing understanding of aseptic and antiseptic techniques proposed by Lister and Pasteur. There was an evolution of the material of gloves, but surgeons throughout time remained significantly opposed to gloves for a long period. Concerning materials, the caecum of a sheep, cotton, silk, leather, and crude rubber were used before the introduction of latex by Goodyear. For surgeons, gloves were introduced initially to protect theatrestaff's and surgeon hands from infection and not to protect the patient. Many surgeons contributed to the evolution of surgical gloves, and the use of gloves was an evolutionary process rather than a discovery. The probability that a surgeon had gloves on photographs was 0% in 1860-1870 (period of Lister and Pasteur), 5% in 1890, 28% in 1900, 42% in 1910, 48% in 1920, 58% in 1930, and 75% during the World Word II and reached 100% only in 1950. While some reports suggest that by 1920, the use of gloves in surgery became routine practice, in reality, around 30% of trauma surgeons were not wearing gloves until 1939.

Permeation of human scent through laboratory examination gloves.

It is generally accepted in the canine detection industry that a barrier (such as a glove) should be used between a human and evidence or canine training aids in order to prevent contamination and cross-contamination as well as protect the handler from hazardous materials. However, no studies exist evaluating this assumption. Further, there is no published literature examining the different types of gloves for their utility in handling evidence or training materials used in canine detection work. This study was the first of its kind to address these gaps in the literature. First, GloGerm™ was used as a proxy for human scent and odor(s)/particulate(s) to visualize potential contamination. Then, three types of gloves (nitrile, two layers of nitrile, latex, and polyethylene) were tested for the permeation of human scent using furfural as a proof of concept, followed by pooled human sweat. Finally, the inherent odor of each glove type was identified. Two analytical techniques were used simultaneously as static and standoff dynamic detection systems, respectively: solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) and direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS). Using a double layer of nitrile gloves was the most effective in preventing furfural permeation from the analytical standard, while a single layer of nitrile prevented furfural from permeating from human sweat up to 2h. Polyethylene gloves allowed the highest amount of furfural permeation but had no inherent odor detected. Headspace analysis detected two compounds for nitrile gloves and four compounds for latex gloves, but the nitrile compounds had a higher relative abundance.

Influence of Latex and Vinyl Disposable Gloves as Recycled Fibers in 3D Printing Sustainable Mortars

The disposal of personal protective equipment (PPE) is a main concern of researchers. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic made this issue worse, so the production and use of large quantities of disposable gloves in recent years and the lack of a suitable solution for the disposal of these recycled materials are some of the consequences of this pandemic. To address this issue, the present study performed a comprehensive experimental program to determine the possibility of using recycled latex and vinyl gloves as recycled fibers within extrusion-based 3D printing concrete. Moreover, a graphene oxide (GO) nanomaterial was also used to compensate for some undesired properties of mixtures. Flow table, buildability, and mechanical tests were performed in this study. Results show that the synergic effect of recycled fibers and GO significantly improved the 3D printing characteristics of mortar. Although very promising results were obtained in this study, findings show that using a high content of recycled fibers reduces the concrete compressive strength. However, the addition of GO significantly compensates for this reduction.

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Ex vivo evaluation of personal protective equipment in hands-on defibrillation

BackgroundDefibrillation guidelines recommend avoiding patient contact during shock delivery. However, hands-on defibrillation (compressions during shock) and manual pressure augmentation (MPA – pushing on the defibrillator pads during shock) may lead to improved clinical outcomes. There are limited data addressing the protection provided by personal protective equipment (PPE) during hands-on defibrillation and MPA. This study investigated the hand-to-hand and hand-to-knee leakage current experienced by a simulated kneeling provider wearing different PPE. MethodsA defibrillator was used in experiments on a pork shoulder, investigating three different hands-on positions: closed fist on defibrillator pads; open palm on pads with inadvertent finger contact (overhang); and open palm on the chest. Evaluated PPE included single and double gloves (nitrile and latex) and rescuer cargo trousers in wet and dry conditions (N = 126 experiments). ResultsMean hand-to-hand leakage currents in MPA without PPE was 0.41 mA (0.2–0.74 mA) and with PPE was 0.2 mA (0.08–0.58 mA). For experiments involving finger or palm contact on the chest, wearing any PPE resulted in a >99% reduction in mean leakage currents from an average 354.58 mA (258.96–446.22 mA) to an average 0.48 mA (0.16–1.56 mA). Rescuer trousers were insulative in dry conditions even without gloves (0.2–1.2 mA). ConclusionThis study demonstrated that the tested clinical examination gloves markedly reduced leakage current to the rescuer and that the lowest levels of leakage current occurred during MPA attributed to the electrical insulation of the pads.