What is the first step in the CDC's scrub the hub protocol for CVC?

• A. Wash hands put on clean gloves
• B. Put on clean gloves without washing hands
• C. Scrub the hub with antiseptic without gloves
• D. Remove the hub from the catheter

Answer: (A)

The first step is hand hygiene followed by donning clean gloves. Washing your hands removes transient bacteria that you could transfer to the hub, and putting on clean gloves provides a barrier as you handle the catheter connection. Once hands are clean and gloves are on, you proceed to scrub the hub with antiseptic to kill any organisms on the hub surface and prevent contamination of the catheter system. Skipping hand hygiene or scrubbing without gloves would raise the risk of introducing infection, and removing the hub from the catheter isn’t part of this initial step.