Surgical scrubbing means doing a systematic routine of washing hands and arms following specific number of strokes. It involves lathering, soaking, and brushing one hand and arm and then the other. My students always do that before they start preparing the sterile field for the surgery. I remember doing that and counting the strokes in my mind at the same time.
But when I when I went to duty last Monday, I noticed that the scrubbing area did not have that canister that contained the surgical scrub brushes. I looked for it but all the 3 scrubbing areas did not have that canister. I even thought that the staff of the previous shift did not just have the time to prepare it.
Then, I was told that we were not using that anymore. There will be no surgical scrubbing done anymore in this hospital. Instead, a surgical handwashing solution replaces the surgical scrubbing procedure. All we need to do is wash our hands and our arms thoroughly with this solution and then we are already sterile enough to start wearing our surgical gown and gloves.
Then I learned that hospitals from other countries also followed the same method. I was told that there are researches conducted which stated that surgical scrubbing breaks the integrity of the skin and predisposes us to infection. I will have to research on that to learn more.
So, there will no be surgical scrubbing in this health facility. But still, the principle of Asepsis will be strictly followed.
