Sterile Surgical Scrub--Scrub Like a Surgeon!

Your child just obtained an injury and is bleeding. You have been dicing raw chicken and you know you need to clean your hands before helping, but how do you know if you eliminated all the bacteria? With running water and only three supplies, you can ensure complete cleanliness every time.

Supplies needed:
          • Sterile gloves
          • Sterile towels
          • Sterile scrub brush

A variety of brands can be purchased online through vendors such as Amazon and MooreMedical and also in larger stores such as Wal-Mart and Target.

Pricing can vary depending on suppier, but on average, product costs are estimated as follows:
          • $18 per box of 50 sterile gloves
          • $19 for a 25 pack of sterile towels
          • $30 per box of 30 sterile scrub brush

This averages to $2 for each total scrub.

Step 1: Opening Glove Bag

Open outer plastic sleeve and remove the folded paper inside, making sure to leave the paper folded in half. This ensures you are only touching the paper and not the gloves--keeping them sterile.

Step 2: Opening Inner Glove Packaging

Open the packaging, while leaving the gloves covered by the last layer of paper.

Step 3:

The paper is folded along the top and bottom. Start with the bottom fold and open the paper, exposing the gloves.
As the paper lays flat, crimp the upper and lower outer edges with your fingers; this keeps the paper flat.

WARNING: Do not touch the gloves! They are sterile and will become contaminated if you touch before you scrub.

Step 4: Opening Towels

Remove the transparent front from the towels by starting at the top and pealing downward. There is a factory separation started for you at the top so this can easily be done by using the thumb and fore finger of one hand to hold down the white backing while the other pulls toward you.

WARNING: Be sure to not touch the towels, as they are sterile.

Step 5: Starting Scrub

Open packaging and remove brush.

Notice it has three parts: nail pick, finger brush, and sponge.

Step 6: Cleaning Under Nails

Use the nail pick to clean dead skin and other particles from under nails on all ten fingers on both hands.

WARNING: Be careful not to press too hard to prevent cutting yourself.

Step 7:

Turn on faucet and wet hands and the scrub brush.

Run the brush over your fingertips for 30 strokes. A complete stroke is both the upward and downward motion.

Complete procedure for both hands.

Step 8: Cleaning Hand

To clean hands, remove the clear finger brush and hold the sponge in left hand.

•First clean your palm: hold the sponge against your palms surface and make 30 complete circles.
•Next, hold the sponge vertically against the side of your hand and do 20 complete vertical strokes; up and down is considered one.
•Now, do the same between all fingers, 20 complete vertical strokes.
•Next, clean the other edge of your hand by doing 20 complete strokes.
•Finish with 20 complete circles on the back of your hand, similar to what you did on your palm.

Step 9: Cleaning of Arms

Now that your hands are scrubed, clean the rest of your arm.

Imagine dividing your arm into three sections; wrist, forearm and elbow. Pretend your arm has four sides, top, left, right and back.

Starting at the wrist, scrub the top area for 20 complete strokes. Now do same for left, right and back sides.

Now move to the forearm region. Do the exact same as wrist; 20 strokes on top followed by 20 on left, right and back sides.

Finish with the elbow region doing the exact same procedure as wrist and forearm.

WARNING: When cleaning elbow region, be careful not to touch the sleeve or your shirt as it will contaminate your hands.

Step 10: Repeat for Left Hand and Arm!

Exact same procedure for left arm, just hold the sponge in right hand this time.

Step 11: Rinsing of Soap

If you turned the faucet off after cleaning your nails, you will now need to either have someone turn it on for you or be creative and turn it on with your foot. This is necessary because you cannot touch it with your hands. Repeat: You can not touch the faucet with your hands.

When rinsing off the soap, the goal is to have everything run from your fingertips to your elbows. This is essential in keeping your hands sterile.

Point your fingers and bend your arm. In a sweeping motion, first have water remove soap from fingers, then wrists and then your arms. After doing one arm, repeat procedure for the other arm.

WARNING: Make sure to not touch the sink basin, as it is unclean and you are sterile. Be careful to not fall or strain yourself if trying to turn faucet on with your foot. Instead of this option, ask someone to do it for you or leave the faucet on the entire time you're preforming scrub.

Step 12: Drying Hands and Arms

Remove top paper with fingers and discard.

Grab top towel and let it unfold, making sure it does not touch your body or the table. Clutch top part in one hand and use other hand to grab the danging end to dry your arm . Drop used towel to ground and pick up second towel in wet hand. Use same procedure.

Step 13: Applying Gloves

First glove your right hand. This is done by picking it up at the base with your left hand and sliding your right hand inside. It helps to keep your hand straight and thumb tucked in. Leave the cuff folded and be careful not to touch the outside of the glove.

Using your gloved hand, slide your fingers between the fingers and the cuff fold--effectively holding it upside-down. Now pull it over your left hand. Once your fingers are inside, pull the cuff down over your wrist.

Now that your left hand is fully gloved, use this hand to pull the cuff down off the thumb and over your wrist. You had to wait to do this so that your hand would not touch the outside of the glove; this technique helps to keep them sterile.