Step 1: Equipment

Equipment is minimal for this task.

• Scrub sink with water supply (elbow or foot operated).
• Plain soap.
• Nail pick.
• Sterile scrubbing brush/es.
• Surgical scrub solution such as chlorhexidine (Hibiscrub) or povidone-iodine (Pevidine).
• Sterile hand towel.  

Step 2: Method

1. Remove watch/any jewellery.
2. Cut nails and remove any nail varnish.
3. Adjust the water supply (ideally foot operated).
4. Wash the hands with plain soap.
5. Clean the nails with a nail pick.
6. Wash the arms and elbows, keeping the hands higher than the elbows so that water drains down towards the unscrubbed upper arms. The purpose of this stage is to remove organic matter and grease.
7. Rinse the hands and then the arms.
8. Wash the hands and arms with a scrub solution (chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine).
9. Rinse the hands and then the arms.
10. Take a sterile scubbing brush and scrub the palm, wrist, 4 sides of each finger, thumb and nails of the left hand using surgical scrub (E-Z scrub brushes come with their own scrub solution). Do not scrub the backs of the hands and arms as this may lead to excoriation.
11. Either rinse the brush or take a new one.
12. Scrub the palm, wrist, fingers, thumb and nails of the right hand using surgical scrub.
13. Rinse.
14. Repeat the procedure of washing the hands and then the arms (but do not include the elbows).
15. Rinse.
16. Dry with a sterile hand towel, using a separate quarter for each hand and arm.

IF DONE PROPERLY, THE PROCEDURE SHOULD TAKE BETWEEN 5 & 10 MINUTES.

TAKE CARE NOT TO TOUCH THE TAPS, SINK OR SCRUB DISPENSER - IF SO THE PROCEDURE MUST BE REPEATED.

ONCE THE TASK IS COMPLETE - KEEP HANDS RAISED AT CHEST LEVEL BUT WITHOUT TOUCHING CLOTHING, READY FOR GOWNING AND/OR GLOVING.