Chloraprep for C-Sections

[LaborRN3]

I am the safety officer on our unit and was trying to do some research. I was wondering what other hospitals do for their prep prior to c-sections especially using the chloraprep. On the packaging, it says to wait 3 minutes to dry on hairless skin (which is what we do) but up to an hour on hair. My question is how do you prep the pubic area? I've heard other places use the chloraprep on the abdomen and thighs then use betadine for the pubic area. If you clip the hair, would you have to clip ALL the pubic hair to get around that 1 hour wait time? We've never had a surgical fire from the prep. Thanks for the input!

[MereSanity]

You can use Chloraprep on the pubic area...just not IN the lady partsl region (this is directly from the Chloraprep rep). Waiting an hour dry time is not realistic...are they bovie-ing IN the pubic hair? I doubt it. Can a damp towel be placed over the pubic hair before bovie-ing around the hair? If you have a dr that will wait an hour for the prep to dry (while the patient is under anesthesia) then he is a saint, and it isn't safe for the patient to be under that long just to wait for the pubic hair to dry...won't even mention that an emergent c-section would be an issue. If you are unsure just keep using a betadine prep.

MereSanity BSN, RN, CNOR