Scrub the hub

Published

Wasnt everyone taught to scrub the hub for 15 seconds? My dad has a triple lumen central line that he gets weekly blood draws from and dressing changes from a local hospital. I have gone with him a few times and noticed that the nurses clean them at a MAXIMUM of 4 seconds. How do I handle this?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We do 15 sec scrub 30 second dry. Definitely say something!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As my own general rule I do 30sec clean and allow to dry for 30sec....no point doing a half orificed job of something

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There are few studies on this. One of the big studies often cited, by Wendy Kaler, show that a 15-second scrub using friction with alcohol is effective.

Some facilities advocate for 30-seconds or even longer but there is not any real research that shows that a 30-second scrub is any more effective than 15-seconds. Compliance with these longer scrubs can often be...problematic.

My hospital system has moved away from port scrubbing in favor of using alcohol caps. Compliance is much higher and infection rates have dramatically improved across the board.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Our policy is a 15 second scrub and allow it to "dry completely"--haven't seen a policy for how long it should dry. A close friend of mine works for a "major" children's hospital and their facility policy is to scrub with 3 alcohol scrubs for 5 seconds with each scrub.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU, SICU.

we use the caps with the alcohol soaked sponges on the inside, no alcohol wipes necessary.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

One of the facilities I did clinicals in had "scrub the hub!" posters in every room, with a little clock-face showing 15 seconds. It was their facility P&P, and they expected it to be followed EVERY time, unless you were in the middle of a code.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/PACU.

I've never heard of cleaning for 30 sec. 15 sec alcohol wipe and then draw. I too prefer the impregnated caps.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice.

we were taught 10 second scrub. interestingly to the person that says they scrub the tops of medications even if their popping the 'top' > that used to be my practice. i had a student ask me why i did that because they were taught they didn't have to . when i thought about 'why' i did that it didn't really make sense. its sterile as as long as i don't touch the field the 'better' practice would be not to scrub and already sterile area.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

15 second scrub and dry time...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
we were taught 10 second scrub. interestingly to the person that says they scrub the tops of medications even if their popping the 'top' > that used to be my practice. i had a student ask me why i did that because they were taught they didn't have to . when i thought about 'why' i did that it didn't really make sense. its sterile as as long as i don't touch the field the 'better' practice would be not to scrub and already sterile area.

I still do. I don't know if the rubber stopper is sterile or if the contents are the only sterile part. I scrub because it only takes a few good scrubs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
we were taught 10 second scrub. interestingly to the person that says they scrub the tops of medications even if their popping the 'top' > that used to be my practice. i had a student ask me why i did that because they were taught they didn't have to . when i thought about 'why' i did that it didn't really make sense. its sterile as as long as i don't touch the field the 'better' practice would be not to scrub and already sterile area.

The sterility of the rubber stopper varies between the manufacturers. You need to read the label to see if the rubber stopper is sterile or not.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion