The effect of surgical handwash routines on the microbial counts operating room nurses

• Published in: American journal of infection control Vol. 18; no. 6; pp. 354 - 364
• Main Authors: Pereira, Lesley J., Lee, Gary M., Wade, Ken J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mosby, Inc 01.12.1990
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/0196-6553(90)90249-R

Many factors may affect the efficiency of handwashing techniques. This study examined two interdependent factors: the time taken to wash the hands and the type of antiseptic solution used. A 3-minute initial scrub and 30-second consecutive scrub regimen was compared with a current standard regimen of a 5-minute initial scrub and a 3-minute consecutive scrub. Chlorhexidine gluconate 4% and povidone-iodine 7.5% were the antiseptics used in the two regimens. The sample (n=34) was drawn from nurses employed in the operating room suite of a 950-bed hospital. Chlorhexidine gluconate was found to be responsible for lower numbers of colony-forming units of bacteria than povidone-iodine. The duration of the scrub had no significant effect on the numbers of bacteria when povidone-iodine was used. The optimal regimen was found to be the 5-minute initial and 3-minute consecutive scrubs with chlorhexidine gluconate. (Ann J INFECT CONTROL 1990; 18:354-64)