Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Practice Test

What is the main reason for an EMT to change gloves between patients?

1. To prevent infection spread to subsequent patients

2. To ensure personal safety from infections

3. To reduce the time spent in gloves

4. To maintain cleanliness of equipment

The correct answer is: To prevent infection spread to subsequent patients

The main reason for an EMT to change gloves between patients is to prevent the spread of infection to subsequent patients. This practice is essential in infection control and maintaining patient safety in medical settings. Each patient may carry different pathogens, and by changing gloves, EMTs minimize the risk of cross-contamination. This is particularly important in emergency medical situations where rapid assessments and interventions are performed, as even a small transfer of infectious material can lead to serious health complications. Ensuring personal safety from infections is important, but the primary focus when changing gloves is on patient safety and hygiene. Reducing the time spent in gloves is not a valid reason for changing them, as the timely changing of gloves should take precedence over efficiency in scenarios where there is a risk of contamination. Finally, while maintaining the cleanliness of equipment is important, glove changing specifically addresses the direct risk of transmitting infections between patients.