Surgical Scrub Procedure: Five-Minute Scrub

Planning/Implementation:

Wet the hands and forearms. Apply 2 to 3 ml (6 drops) of antiseptic agent from the dispenser to the hands. Wash the hands and arms several times thoroughly to 2 inches (5cm) above the elbows. Rinse thoroughly under running water, with the hands upward, allowing water to drip from flexed elbows. Take a sterile brush or sponge (from a package or dispenser) and apply an antiseptic agent (if it is not impregnated in the brush). Scrub each individual finger, nails and hands, a half-minute for each hand. Hold the brush in one hand and both hands under running water, and clean under the fingernails with a metal disposable plastic nail cleaner. Discard the cleaner after use. Again scrub each individual finger, nails, and hands wit the brush a half minute for each hand, maintaining lather. Rinse the hands and brush, and discard the brush and sponge. Reapply the antimicrobial agent, and wash the hands and arms with friction to the elbow for 3 minutes. Intersperse the fingers to cleanse between them.  Rinse the arms and hands as before.

Gowning and Gloving: Closed Gloved Technique

Planning/Implementation:

Gowning:

Reach down to the sterile package and lift the folded gown directly upward. Step back away from the table, into an obstructed area to provide a wide margin of safety while gowning. Holding the folded gown, carefully locate the neckband with both hands, let the gown fold, keeping the inside of the gown with bare hands. Holding the hands at shoulder level, slip both arms into the armholes simultaneously. The circulator brings the gown over the shoulders.

Gloving:

Using the left hand and keeping it within the cuff of then left sleeve, pick up the right glove, from the inner wrap of the glove package, by grasping the folded cuff. Extend the right forearm with the palm upward. Place the palm of the glove against the palm of the right hand, grasping in the right hand, grasping in the right hand and top edge of the cuff, above the palm. In correct position, gloved fingers are pointing toward you and the thumb of the glove is to the right. The thumb side of the glove is down. Grasp the back of the cuff in the left hand and turn it over the end of the right sleeve and hand. The cuff of the glove is now over the stockinette cuff of the gown, with the hand still inside the sleeve. Grasp the top of the right glove and underlying gown sleeve with the covered left hand. Pull the glove on over the extended right finger until it is completely covers the stockinette cuff. Glove the left hand in the same manner, reversing hands,. Use the gloved right hand to pull on left glove.