Surgical scrub

Initial hand and nail wash

• Turn taps on
• Rinse hands and forearms
• Apply 3 doses of scrub solution to hands (using elbows to dispense it)
• Wash hands using 9-step technique
• Rinse off scrub solution (keeping hands higher than elbows)
• Apply water and scrub solution to brush (using elbows to dispense it)
• Gently scrub nails if any visible debris
• Use nail picks if any visible debris
• Rinse off scrub solution (keeping hands higher than elbows)

Surgical hand scrubbing

• Apply 3 doses of scrub solution to hands (using elbows to dispense it)
• Wash hands thoroughly and then wash down to elbows
• Rinse off scrub solution (keeping hands higher than elbows)
• Repeat above but this time just wash down to mid-forearm
• Repeat above but this time just wash down to wrists
• Turn off the taps using your elbows

Dry arms

• Use a separate sterile towel for each arm (from scrub gown pack)
• Start at fingers and work down to elbows (dabbing to dry), then discard towel

Apply gown

• Place hands in sleeve pockets on either side of gown
• Raise your arms high and step backward so the gown falls open in the air
• Slide your arms into the sleeves (but ensure your hands remain inside the cuffs)
• Hold your arms up in the air and ask a colleague to tie the back of the gown

Put on gloves

• Open the sterile inner packaging of the gloves using the cuffs of your gown
• Using your right hand (inside the gown cuff), place left glove over left cuff with your left palm facing upwards
• Open your left hand into the glove leaving the cuff around your wrist (inside the glove)
• Repeat on other side

Secure the gown

• Hand the card attached to the gown’s right tie to a colleague
• Ask them to hold it while you turn around 360˚ (left)
• Pull the strap away from the card they are holding so it detaches
• Tie the strap to the other strap in a bow to secure the gown