Hand Scrub Methods and Their Effect on Bacterial Flora

Background: Hand disinfection is a critical component of infection control in surgery. Various solutions and techniques are used for hand scrubbing, but these often produce conflicting results. Objectives: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of four different hand scrubbing techniques in reducing hand bacterial colonies. Methods: A total of 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling based on specific criteria. They were randomly assigned to perform one of four hand scrub techniques: (1) Iodine scrub alone; (2) Decocept alone; (3) a combination of iodine scrub followed by Decocept; and (4) a combination of Decocept followed by an iodine soak. Microorganism cultures were taken before, immediately after, and one hour after scrubbing. Staff satisfaction was measured after each method using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results: The study examined the effectiveness of the four scrubbing techniques in reducing skin microorganism levels. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most frequently detected microorganism, appearing in the majority of cases, with no significant variation between the groups. While all scrubbing methods reduced microbial counts, no statistically significant differences were found between the techniques. Conclusions: The use of Decocept alone may be considered a viable alternative to other hand scrubbing methods in operating rooms.