Hibiclens Soap, is This Something New for Surgeries?

[laurie31]

Thanks. So, possibly between $6 and $10...depending on where we get it. I wonder why the nurse said it's "pricey" and see if they have a generic? Odd.

I guess it depends on your perspective. If someone were on a fixed income, and was used to paying $1.50 for a huge bottle of generic bodywash that lasted a month, then paying $6 for something they would only use twice would sound very expensive. I think they probably tell that to everyone. You can't tell by looking at someone if they are in a good place financially or not.

 

[jaminmd]

Infection Prevention & Control Nurse here. Some surgeons use it, some tell you to use antibacterial dial soap & others tell you to bathe regularly.

It contains chlorhexidine gluconate which decreases bacteria on your skin. I just bathed with it preoperatively and still developed a surgical site infection, so it did absolutely nothing to help me.

We routinely use this for our ICU patients to prevent central line infections and ventilator associated pneumonia. Some swear by it and others don't. We have a huge joint replacement program & no longer use it for those patients. We have seen no change in our infection rates with that population.

I know that was way more info than you asked for. Sorry for rambling.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Some swear by it and others don't. We have a huge joint replacement program & no longer use it for those patients. We have seen no change in our infection rates with that population.

This was my thought as well. Because we send lots of inpatients for surgery and surgical procedures and it's definitely no longer required. We still keep it on our carts but honestly, I think I've used it once in the past several years and it wasn't a preop situation.