Abstract: A process is disclosed for preparing a pressure sensitive adhesive hydrogel. The process (A) provides an oligomeric precursor, the oligomeric precursor comprising a polyether moiety endcapped with ethylenic unsaturation, the oligomeric precursor being associated with methacrylic acid; (B) provides an ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of difunctional ethylenically unsaturated monomer, difunctional ethylenically unsaturated monomer and combinations of the foregoing; (C) provides a thiol; and (D) free radically curing a mixture of the oligomeric precursor, the ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent, and the thiol in water in the presence of the methacrylic acid at a pH between about 3.5 and about 9 to provide the pressure sensitive adhesive hydrogel.