Design of a glove dispenser to promote rational glove use and hand hygiene in an intensive care unit

Introduction. Healthcare-associated infections continue to pose a significant challenge in intensive care units (ICUs), where inappropriate glove use and poor hand hygiene can contribute to pathogen transmission and the unnecessary consumption of resources. Gloves represent an essential protective barrier against exposure to potentially infectious biological material, including blood, body fluids, and secretions. Objective. To design, develop, and evaluate a glove dispenser intended to promote appropriate glove use and support hand hygiene practices in an intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and Methods. A technological design study was conducted between January 2023 and January 2024 following a five-phase development process: needs assessment, device specification, concept generation, prototype development and refinement, and final prototype construction. The process incorporated direct clinical observations, feedback from ICU healthcare personnel, iterative usability testing, and pilot implementation in a real clinical setting. Results. A glove dispenser prototype integrated with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispenser was developed, incorporating visual prompts based on World Health Organization recommendations to encourage appropriate glove use and hand hygiene. During pilot implementation, 50 healthcare workers participated. Exposure to body fluids was observed in 60% of procedures; glove use was indicated in 72% of cases; 88% of participants used a single pair of gloves per procedure; and 88% reported performing hand hygiene after glove removal. Conclusion. The proposed device represents a technological strategy designed to support appropriate glove use and reinforce hand hygiene practices. Its potential impact on infection prevention and resource optimization should be evaluated in future studies.