Comparison of the efficiency of nail pick and brush used for nail cleaning during surgical scrub on reducing bacterial counts

American Journal of Infection Control
Aliye Okgün Alcan, Fatma Demir Korkmaz

Abstract

Although the surgical scrub is a mandatory and routine procedure, there is no standard recommendation for nail cleaning during the scrub. This study compared the efficacy of nail picks and brushes used for nail cleaning during the surgical scrub in reducing bacterial counts. Sixty circulatory nurses were included in the survey. The nurses were randomized to undertake 1 of 3 surgical hand scrub protocols: using surgical scrub alone (control group), using a nail pick during the surgical scrub, or using a brush during the surgical scrub. Bacterial counts were measured on the dominant hand immediately before the scrub and 1 hour after the scrub using the glove juice method. The bacterial counts at 1 hour after the surgical scrub were lower in the control group than in the 2 intervention groups, and there was no significant difference between the 2 intervention groups (F = 2.063; P = .136; P > .05). Using nail picks and brushes on nails during the surgical scrub does not provide additional decontamination.

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Citations

Jul 16, 2014·Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology : the Official Journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America·Katherine EllingsonDeborah S Yokoe
Feb 6, 2017·AORN Journal·Judith L Goldberg
Nov 8, 2014·Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology : the Official Journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America·Katherine EllingsonDeborah S Yokoe
Apr 21, 2021·Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences·Muaz GülşenEvşen Nazik
May 25, 2021·American Journal of Infection Control·Emine Arici ParlakOrhan Bedir

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