What about contamination?
The handheld device is touched by gloved and ungloved fingers, before and after touching patients.
Common nosocomial (hospital-acquired) viral and bacterial infections -- often transmitted by the hands of health care workers -- include MRSA (methycillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) and C-Diff (clostridium difficile).
The solution for this very real problem is a disposable plastic cover. Several are available: