Our purpose was to study the disinfection effect as related to the differences of wettabilities and wiping methods using ethanol cotton, and to review the nursing techniques which have been generally carried out. We considered three wiping methods, which are (i) wiping from the upside to the bottom in the order of center, left side and right side, (ii) wiping in the volute from the place which was stuck by the needle, and (iii) wiping in a zigzag with three types of wettabilities, which had an ethanol volume of 125, 500 and 1000 micro-liters respectively. For 20 adult women, the disinfection effects were examined by carrying out nine types of disinfection, which were composed of three wiping methods and three types of wettabilities, which were done at 9 places on the arm and with the number of colony by the stamp medium before and after the sterilization being observed. As a result, we recognized that the number of colony decreases in all positions by doing any kind of disinfection. From the viewpoint of the disappearance of the colonies, wiping in a zigzag method with ethanol over 500 micro-liters was effective. There are some advantages in decreasing the quantity of ethanol and shortening the drying time, and it seems to be the recommended method.

View full abstract