The Latest In EMS Fashion-The Black Nitrex Glove

[x635 4,066]

Today, x901/226 introduced me to the latest in EMS fashion.

First came the standard yellowish latex glove. Then we started seeing nitrile gloves in blue and purple. Now, Delta Gloves has come out with a black nitrex glove. Not only was this glove produced with the tatoo market in mind, but it also probaly looks really good with an EMS uniform. But I hope the black doesn't represent something or someone (ghouly) else for our elderly patients......

I've taken this oppurtunity to model the glove for you all:

[GAW6 66]

At my VAC, I am fondly referred to as "The Angel of Death". So those would be very appropriate for me! Do they come in X-small???

[Guest]

very cool, doubt well see these come into wide-spread use as im sure the trendy color comes at an added expense.

[JetPhoto 626]

very cool, doubt well see these come into wide-spread use as im sure the trendy color comes at an added expense.

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Next they are gonna come out with Red White & Blue ones!

[res6cue 67]

You're right about the tattoo thing, I've seen them on TLC's show Miami Ink.

[MPACE2-299 0]

I think swat/esu teams have been using them for a while now.

[csf248 0]

Galls Sells them for like 5-7 bucks for a box of 50

it sucks that there is not more in the box, but i think they are better than those purple ones

i lost count the # of times the emergency room workers have commented on the purple nitrates or as theve been called "Power Ranger Gloves"

now i know that there first job is to protect us, and if they do that who cares if there stylish, but if they work as well as the purple ones, then hey, at least we look a little better to!

i actually bought 901's brother them for his birthday, and they came pretty quick.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Galls makes black gloves called the N-Dex NightHawk Black Nitrile Gloves in a back of 50 gloves for $7.99 per box code #L-GL238 at: http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=gen...=GL238&cat=3109

they come in: Small, Medium, Large or Extra-Large and have all of the things that all nitrile gloves have.

"These stealth looking gloves provide the proper protection when providing medical care in hot zones"

[Remember585 815]

Three thoughts.

Won't that black color make it a little difficult to see fluids on?

So much for writing vitals and other info on the gloves, like I do quite often.

Working in the darker scenes should be a blast, now you won't be able to see your hands...

But, on the upside, at least I now have a pair of gloves to wear that will match my personality. Purple just doesn't do me any justice.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

They've been on the market for about 5 years or a little more now. I was first introduced to them at the 2001 Firehouse Expo. The material is great, non-latex which started as the big catch phrase and they come in white also. The black makes no real difference to me, and the fluids still do show well and we all treat gloves as contaminated anyway.

[IzzyEng4 427]

They conceal your batting gloves better for those pesky drunk and psyhc calls

Same glove, different color, do the same job, just another choice.

[Guest]

Finally, something the same colour as my boots but cleaner. FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

[x648eng119 2]

The guy who did my latest tattoo had them. I asked him how he liked them - he said they felt and "performed" just like the blue and purple ones, he just liked the color better.

[OnTheWheel 43]

Won't that black color make it a little difficult to see fluids on?

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ALWAYS assume there are fluids on them!!! The one time you should assume!

[ems-buff 81]

The guy who did my latest tattoo had them. I asked him how he liked them - he said they felt and "performed" just like the blue and purple ones, he just liked the color better.

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Not to mention that it makes your hands smell like cat piss.

[Turborich 12]

Not to mention that it makes your hands smell like cat piss.  

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Haha nice...

So here's some pros and cons- My local rescue squad field tested these and stopped using after 2 months for 3 reasons;

1- They look "intimidating"... think of the way you look to a young kid.. sure it's cool and buffy, but should EMS professionals look cool or professional?

2- It is very hard to see if you have nasty crap on your hands. Now I know "we should always figure our gloves are contaminated" but in reality you know it helps if you know where nasties are on your gloves and how nasty they really are so you can change them if grossly contaminated.

3- Most importantly they are only 3mil nitrile.... most ems gloves are 4+... they don't break as easily as "the purple ones" but they're really thin.

...but we never practice what we preach so....

...I grabbed 10 boxes for use at work instead of seeing them get thrown out once the squad decided they didn't work for them. They work for me...they really are nice gloves esp. for medics... being thin it is easier to palp for sticks instead of having to rip off your pointer finger for a tough find. Seem durable too and haven't had one tear yet. Oh and they don't smell like cat piss

[Guest stephentyler20]

Yeah I've seen these around too. I'm in agreement that not being able to see blood on your gloves is a bad thing, and not being able to write could also be annoying.

But mostly, I don't like them because (as someone already said) they're freakin intimidating! I wouldn't want any patient seeing black gloves coming at them in their time of need, be it a scared child, or a religious older person (black = death?). Scary stuff.

What's really funny about this is that where I work we use primarily white gloves, the exact opposite. I have no basis for saying this, but I bet if someone did a study they would find that patient comfort levels are higher with the white gloves than with the black ones.

[ems731 0]

I think taht black gloves might scare some patients. Also if your on a scene at night you wont be able to see any blood or other fluids that you might get on your hands. That will also make the uniform too black, you will look like the grim reaper walking into someones home in all black and with black gloves. For now the plain old white gloves are great for me.

[Skooter92 7]

I don't like nitrile gloves for the simple fact that if they're punctured or torn, they won't rip or show the integrity issue as readily as latex. Other than that, I think black gloves are silly but if it floats yer boat.......

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

They are thinking about using them at my job at the Ornithology (Bird) department at the Bronx Zoo.

-they are hypoallergenic

-they wont harm the animals

-they come in bright colors so that they dont scare the animals

-they are alot of fun to wear