Handwashing

HANDWASHING : SURGICAL
SCRUBBING

Prajina Wagle

Hand Washing

• It is the act of cleaning hands for the purpose
of removing soil, dirt & microorganism.

• Hands carrying micro organisms of two
categories.

1. Resident microorganism ( Normal Flora)
2. Transient micro organism.

Purpose of Hand Washing

• Remove debris & Transient Microorganisms
from the nails , hands & forearms.

• Reduce the resident microbial count to
minimum .

• Inhibit rapid rebound growth of
microorganism.

Aim of Hand Washing

• To promote through hand Hygiene amongst all
health & social care staff, to prevent health
care associated infection.

Types of Hand Washing

• Social Handwashing ( Routine Hand Washing)
Hand washing with soap and water to remove dirt &
organic material , dead skin & most transient
organisms.

• Medical Hand Washing
Hygiene practices related to medical procedures.It will
remove & kill most transient micro organisms.
Five Steps – wet,lather,scrub at least 20 sec,rinse your
hand,dry

• Surgical Hand Washing

It requires the removal & killing of transient
micro organism & substantial reduction of the
resident flora of the surgical team for the
duration of operation .

Surgical Scrubbing

• The surgical scrub is an important procedure
required to reduce the risk of contamination
by micro organism during operative
procedures. It involves first the
decontaminating the hands then donning a
sterile surgical gown & pair of sterile gloves .

Steps of Surgical Hand Washing

• Prepare to scrub
- Put on OT dress.
- Put on Mask & Cap
• Pre scrub Wash
- Run the tap to an adequate temperature & flow.
- Wet the hands & arms for initial pre scrub. Use

antimicrobial soap & work up a heavy lather and
then wash the hands & arms to the elbow.
- Rinse the hand.

• Hand Scrubbing

- Wet the hands & forearms

- Apply specified amount of antimicrobial
solutions .

- Work the cleaning solution palm to palm
creating a lather.

- Rub the right palm over the back of left & vice
versa with finger interlaced.

- Perform rotational rubbing backward &
forward with clasped fingers of the right hand
into the left palm hand & vice versa.

- Perform rotational rubbing of the right thumb
clasped in left hand & vice versa.

- Rub the finger tips of the left hand on the
palm of right hand & vice versa.

- Continue the rotating action down opposing
arms , working to just below the elbow.

- Rinse & repeat the steps 3 times .

- Rinse the hands under running water , allowing the
water to run from fingertips to elbow.

• Dry the hands

- Pick up the towel.

- Hold one end of the towel in your dominant hand .

- Dry your other hand & arm by blotting in a circular
motion & vice versa. Start at fingertips & end at elbow.

- Discard the towel when you are finished.

GOWNING

• To be dressed in a gown.

• In case of aseptic gowning, the specially
designed garments, covers, masks & gloves
are put on that isolates the body from the
clean room environment.

• To prevent contamination to the surgical
wound & help control infection via aseptic
principles.

• Proper technique is followed in the gowning
process.

GLOVING

• Glove is a garment coverinf the whole hand.
• Placing of gloves on the hand.
• A proper gloving technique is followed in case

of surgical scrub.

THANK YOU