Final answer:
The question confuses the gloved fingertip test related to sterility with the two-point discrimination test. The latter measures tactile acuity and varies in sensitivity across different body parts due to the density of tactile receptors, with fingertips having the most acute sensitivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gloved fingertip test mentioned in the question seems to be a mix-up with two different procedures. In clinical practice, the gloved fingertip test is typically a method used to assess the sterility of gloves after donning them in a cleanroom or surgical environment. However, action levels, as defined in the context provided, do not apply to such a test.
Instead, what is being described is the two-point discrimination test, which is a sensory test that measures the ability of skin to differentiate between two closely spaced points touching the skin. This test is particularly useful in evaluating nerve function and tactile acuity. The distance between caliper points that can be discerned as separate touches is smaller on the fingertips due to the higher density of tactile receptors, such as Meissner's corpuscles and Merkel cells, which allows for finer sensory discrimination. Conversely, the palm has fewer of these receptors, leading to a larger necessary distance between points to be perceived as distinct. On the arm or shoulder, where tactile receptors are even more sparsely distributed, the distance required to distinguish two points would be even greater.