Abstract
The antiseptic effectiveness of a waterless method using 0.5 w/v% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)/ethanol preparation was compared to the conventional two-stage surgical scrub method, using 4 w/v% CHG scrub followed by application of 0.2 w/v%CHG/ethanol preparation in 30 healthcare workers. The reduction factor (RF) for bacterial counts on the subjects hands showed the two methods were not significantly different, both immediately (1.443±0.647; waterless, 1.508±0.801; two-stage, p=0.565) and after 3 hours (1.431±0.716, 1.251±0.745, p=0.173), indicating that the antiseptic effectiveness of these methods were equivalent. The waterless method, however, was more time efficient and cost effective than the conventional method. Moreover, a satisfaction survey showed a favorable response to the waterless method. The waterless method using an alcohol preparation with persistent activity agents such as CHG is acceptable for surgical hand antisepsis.
