This document provides guidelines for surgical hand scrub at Intermed Hospital. It defines surgical scrub as removing bacteria from hands and forearms through mechanical scrubbing with soap and brush. The individual performing surgery is the primary source of bacteria. Handwashing and surgical scrub reduce pathogen carriage. The new protocol recommends a 3-minute scrub with sponge instead of 5 minutes with brush to prevent skin damage. It also recommends using alcohol-based hand sanitizers like Avagard which do not require pre-wash or towels. The document outlines steps for proper water-based scrub and Avagard application.
This document provides guidelines for surgical hand scrub at Intermed Hospital. It defines surgical scrub as removing bacteria from hands and forearms through mechanical scrubbing with soap and brush. The individual performing surgery is the primary source of bacteria. Handwashing and surgical scrub reduce pathogen carriage. The new protocol recommends a 3-minute scrub with sponge instead of 5 minutes with brush to prevent skin damage. It also recommends using alcohol-based hand sanitizers like Avagard which do not require pre-wash or towels. The document outlines steps for proper water-based scrub and Avagard application.