Needle sterilization

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In a message dated 7/12/00 2:35:33 AM, chemenway writes:

 

<< I agree that alcohol is basically useless other than to clean the area of

grime and a small amount of bacteria I suppose. Mechanical action. To do

more than that requires a much longer time than a fast swipe (not sure how

long) . >>

 

I use a 50/50 blend of ethyl alcohol/distilled water on a cotton ball, as I

don't like to put something on my skin I wouldn't ingest, and I use it all

day on my fingers. There was an article on alcohol in the AAOM newsletter a

few years ago, and while it was a bit extreme, I figured it wuldn't hurt to

use ethyl.

I use it because it makes the patients relax better ( they feel it helps) and

reduces the itching caused by salt onthe skin from sweating, not for

sterilization, because it doesn't sterilize much. Perhaps it gives the

bacteria a hangover.

David Molony