Scrubbing up procedure

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Nick Shackleton — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 11:46:01 GMT

have a look at this

http://www.vetnurse.co.uk/wikis/veterinary-nurse/scrubbing-up.aspx

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Roseann21 — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:26:59 GMT

[quote user="Sophie Bedford RVN CC MBVNA"] Might be worth watching your vets as well to see how they do it? [/quote]

Hmm, not always.... my 10 year old son washes his hands more thoroughly than some vets I've seen

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:56:15 GMT

I wore my wedding band on a chain around my neck or in a pocket; I was never comfortable with the idea of scrubbing with jewelry. (I'm sure it's done fine by loads of people, it's just my personal bugbear.)

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Catherine Goulding — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 08:37:51 GMT

This is the technique I was taught by both my university and trust prior to starting work as a scrub practitioner (part of the ODP role) just last year. My trust does not yet use the hand rub but we have been told we will do shortly. The trust is waiting for the correct gel solution as not all alcohol gels are licensed for use during the scrub up procedure. This gel is routinely used for ‘human’ hospitals in America but not yet over here in the UK. So far I have not scrubbed for major orthopaedic surgery (joint replacement) so I’m not sure if this is different to other types of surgery.

· Wet hands and arms keeping the hands above the elbows at all times, allowing water to drain off the elbows

· Apply surgical scrub (approx 5ml) to the hands, work into a lather and gradually wash each arm working up to and stopping just above the elbow

· Rinse the hands and arms again keeping the hands above the elbows

· Using a sterile brush, scrub the nails for 30 seconds each hand

· Drop the brush whilst still keeping the hands above the elbows

· Rinse the hands and arms

· Apply further surgical scrub solution to the hands and wash using the Ayliffe technique

· Rinse hands and allow excess water to drain from the elbows before proceeding to dry the hands with a sterile towel

first scrub – the first scrub should last for 5 minutes

second scrub – subsequent scrubs can be reduced to 2 minutes as only the hands are washed using the Ayliffe technique. This is carried out as long as another procedure is to be carried out immediately with no break in between

Minor skin wounds should be covered with an occlusive waterproof dressing after scrubbing up. The outer wrapping is carefully opened by another person and the dressing not touched to maintain it’s sterility. Someone with a major or infected wound should not scrub up.

Rings with stones in should be removed as they will probably cause glove punctures during either donning or during the procedure. Plain wedding bands can be worn by scrub staff as long as ring is adequately cleaned underneath during the surgical scrub procedure to prevent micro-organisms from being harboured beneath the ring and subsequently rinsed correctly to avoid an accumulation of scrub solution that could lead to an allergic reaction

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Claire Bloor — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:42:39 GMT

You can use a product called Sterilium for surgical hand prep now. It is very watery compared to other alcohol hand-gel type products, and air dries really fast.

You should clean under fingers nails etc first, squirt loads on your palms, rotationally work down both forearms to your elbows, squirt a load more on your hands and finish with the WHO handwash. Job done. Don sterile gown and gloves (closed method) and away you go to assist in theatre.

You will use a lot less hibiscrub and it is much kinder to your hands. Scrubbing is thought to increase the bacterial load on your hands due to the damage caused - drying out / cracking skin etc. Humans are moving / have moved away from surgical hand prep involving scrubbing brushes, so we should follow suit. We have no scrubbing going on where I work at weekends anymore. Only problem is the vets are ready to operate in a jiffy...really annoying because you feel a little rushed now when prepping!! :-)

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Laura Moss — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:48:23 GMT

Do you do the WHO technique first to include hands and arms

Rinse

WHO technique to incude hands and arms then start to scrub each surface 5 times, i have been tols not to scrub the back of the hand or i so just do it gently

Rinse

WHO technique just hands

Rinse

Does this sound right?

Thanks

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

vickicannings — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:12:33 GMT

We also use the rule of five. For drying we have sterile blue roll, two seperate pieces for each hand and use half the towel for hand and half for arm too

Vic :) x

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

bongo — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 12:31:44 GMT

our surgical gowns come with two hand towels in. One for each hand/arm. Use half for your hands on the other half for arms.

Re: Scrubbing up procedure

Sophie Bedford RVN CertVNECC — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 11:28:27 GMT

I was always taught the rule of 5.... scrub all surfaces a mimimum of 5 times, so front, back and both sides of fingers, nails, back of hand, palm... always do hand and fingers first before then doing wrist and forearms.

As long as you are methodical and always do the same process then you shouldn't miss anything. Might be worth watching your vets as well to see how they do it?

Our vets used sterile flannels as hand towels which we wash and reuse but have previously used sterile paper towel and then discarded after use so depends on your practice protocol really.