The surgical scrub should be done while the circulator preps the operatory. If there is only one assistant, the operatory should be prepped prior to the scrub. The surgical scrub should last about five minutes and clean from your fingertips to 2 inches above your elbow. Remember not to touch any surfaces during the scrub. This includes the non-sterile clothing or any non-sterile part of your body as well as items in the room such as faucets or equipment. Also you should try to keep your hands above your elbows at all times during the scrub process.
Remove all jewelry from arms and hands.
Wet arms from the elbows to the fingertips
Use a sterile disposable sponge which has been impregnated with an anti-microbial soap with a small plastic nail cleaner.
First lather hands, arms and elbows completely.
Use the plastic nail cleaner to clean cuticles and under nails
Now scrub each hand as follows:
Consider each finger to be divided into five planes: Front and back; left and right sides; and the tips of fingers. Scrub each of these planes with ten strokes beginning with the tips.
Now scrub the palm with ten strokes and then the top of the hand.
Consider the forearm to have four planes: Top and bottom; left and right. Scrub each plane with ten strokes.
Use a circular motion to scrub the elbow, again using ten strokes.
Repeat on the other hand and arm.
Rinse from fingertips to elbows, using a scoop motion so that the water runs down the arms from the hand to the elbows.
