S
urgery is messy business, leaving you, your patients and your surroundings
stained, smudged and sticky. Here are some tips that will make it easier to tidy up.
— Compiled by David Bernard
• Blood be gone.
You can salvage your scrubs from bloodstains with a
time-honored laundry room hint. Pour a little hydro-
gen peroxide on the spot and rub it in: The com-
pound's oxidizing properties will do the heavy lifting.
Keep in mind, though, that the sooner you act, the bet-
ter the results. To easily remove dried blood off of skin,
on the other hand, try water-based lubricant and a damp cloth. It works a lot faster than soap
and water, and without the friction of scrubbing.
• Skin prep solution. Once painted on patients' skin,
DuraPrep — the iodine povacrylex skin antiseptic — stays
on for days, standing up to rinsing and scrubbing with
water or saline. A dab of alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
though, wipes it right away without irritation or damage
to elderly or sensitive skin.
• Getting patients unstuck. You can also use alcohol-based
hand sanitizer to ease off adhesive dressings without the
ouch of the traditional quick yank. For paper tape, rub some
of the gel or foam on top and allow it a few seconds to soak
through before peeling. For other kinds, pull up just a corner
INNOVATIVE IDEAS
Cleaning Up the Mess
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