Donning and Removing Sterile Gloves

Donning Techniques - Sterile Gloves

There are two techniques for donning sterile gloves, "Closed Donning" and "Open Donning". Regardless of which one you use, it is vital that all surface powder be removed from powdered gloves after donning. This can be done with either sterile water from a pour rinse, or a sterile wipe.

Closed Donning

1. Peel open the outer pack from the corners. The inner pack is sterile. Gripping it through your gown, open it to display the gloves.


2. With your gown covering your fingers, use your right hand to remove the left glove. Hold your left hand palm up, fingers straight. Lay the glove on your left wrist, and grip the cuff with your left thumb.



3. Place your right thumb inside the top cuff edge. Make a fist with your right hand and stretch the glove over your left fingertips.




4. Keeping your left fingers straight, pull down the glove.



5. Repeat the above procedure to don the other glove, that is: use your gloved left hand to lay the right glove on your right wrist. Slide your left thumb inside the top of the cuff, make a fist, and stretch the cuff over your right fingertips. Pull down the sleeve and glove together.

Open Donning

1. Pick up the cuff of the right glove with your left hand. Slide your right hand into the glove until you have a snug fit over the thumb joint and knuckles. Your bare left hand should only touch the folded cuff - the rest of the glove remains sterile.


2. Slide your right fingertips into the folded cuff of the left glove. Pull out the glove and fit your right hand into it.



3. Unfold the cuffs down over your gown sleeves. Make sure your gloved fingertips do not touch your bare forearms or wrists.

Glove Removal

The key to removing both sterile and non-sterile gloves is

"Dirty to Dirty - Clean to Clean",

that is, contaminated surfaces only touch other contaminated surfaces: your bare hand, which is clean, touches only clean areas inside the other glove.



1. Take hold of the first glove at the wrist.



2. Fold it over and peel it back, turning it inside out as it goes. Once the glove is off, hold it with your gloved hand.


3. To remove the other glove, place your bare fingers inside the cuff without touching the glove exterior. Peel the glove off from the inside, turning it inside out as it goes. Use it to envelope the other glove.