During a surgical scrub, how long should the hands and forearms be scrubbed with a surgical scrub brush?

In a surgical scrub, it is essential to thoroughly cleanse the hands and forearms to significantly reduce the microbial load before a surgical procedure. The recognized standard is a scrub duration of at least 1 minute with a surgical scrub brush. This timeframe ensures that the scrub effectively penetrates the skin's surface, removes dirt and debris, and reduces the number of microorganisms present. The National Guideline Clearinghouse and various infection control protocols typically endorse this 1-minute duration for thorough disinfection.

Shorter scrub times, such as 15 or 30 seconds, do not provide sufficient time to achieve the level of cleanliness required to minimize the risk of surgical site infections. Similarly, while a 2-minute scrub may seem more diligent, it is generally unnecessary and can lead to skin irritation without providing additional benefits in terms of microbial reduction. Therefore, scrubbing for 1 minute strikes the appropriate balance between efficacy and safety, making it the correct answer.