Changing Gloves between Activities
My wife and I both donate regularly. She's a nurse in an OR and is always aware of protocols involving drawing blood. This past weekend, we both donated at the local office. She was on Saturday and I went Sunday. We live in a suburb of Atlanta, GA.
When she got home, she told me that something bothered her. Her phlebotomist wore one pair of gloves the whole time during the visit. In between drawing her blood, the person checked on another person, and also got on their cell phone for a minute, before coming back and taking out the needle from her arm.
My wife didn't say anything to anyone at the office, but did send a message to the Red Cross addressing this situation.
I went on Sunday, and once I sat down on the inclined chair I asked my phlebotomist if she could please change gloves before drawing my blood. She seemed a little surprised I asked this, but she did change her gloves before the draw, and then before she withdrew the needle at the end.
My question is, is this something that the staff should be doing with every patient? Thinking back to my previous donations, I don't remember anyone changing gloves between activities. The employees are protecting themselves with the gloves, but are not protecting the people coming in to donate.
I will continue to go, as I love to help as many people as I can. But this just made me think a little after realizing that this was going on.