RBG: Regular, Bare, Gel: Does Type of Nail Polish Affect Bacterial Counts After Surgical Scrubbing?

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate if type of nail polish (gel polish or regular polish) has an effect on the number of bacterial colonies on finger nails after surgical scrubbing. Participants: The potential participants are healthcare providers with patient interaction. Exclusion criteria include evidence of active dermatitis or other skin abnormalities, or allergy to chlorhexidine. Intervention: Participants will have gel nail polish applied to one finger of their dominant hand, and regular polish applied to another finger of their dominant hand. Bacterial swabs will be collected from these two fingers, as well as the from the adjacent finger with no nail polish. Specimen collection will occur both before and after scrubbing with surgical soap. Bacterial counts will be compared between the three groups to determine the association between the presence of nail polish and nail polish type on bacterial counts after surgical scrubbing. Specimen collection will not take place during scrubbing for actual patient care.