Reply To: On behalf – Loida (Eunice) Castro Torrealba – cytotoxic gloves

[Carrie Spinks]

Hi Loida (Eunice),

Great question.

In aged care cytotoxic exposure can occur during drug administration and in the management of body fluids and contaminated items from body fluids. Hence protection for care staff, resident carers (as appropriate) , cleaners (bathroom cleaning), laundry staff (washing body fluid contaminated clothing items) all needs to be considered – PPE will vary depending on the task and exposure risk.

In regards to guidelines, these are state/territory based and local policies are reflected from these. So it depends where you are located as to where I could guide you.

Purple identifies cytotoxic risk and clearly disingishes between what is being handled. However, if the blue gloves provide cyctoxic protection and staff etc are safe, then there should be little concern of colour (the colour of these gloves is close to purple – the use of white or black nitrile gloves in this setting can be avoided).

The focus should be on the used PPE items going into a purple, symboled cytoxic waste bag so that it can be transported (inhouse and externally) and distroyed safely and correctly. Incinaration temps are higher for cytotoxic waste to ensure destruction.

Hope this is helpful

Regards Carrie