Surgery Center Patients With Nail Polish and Artificial Nails: Q&A With Phenelle Segal of ICCS

On the discussion board of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), an ASCA member writing on behalf of an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) recently posed a question concerning patients with nail polish and artificial nails.

Infection Control Consulting Services President Phenelle Segal, RN, CIC, a leading provider of ASC infection prevention consulting and infection-related services to many other types of healthcare facilities, shared her thoughts on the issue.

Q: I have a surgeon who wants to allow patients to wear nail polish and keep their artificial nails on. Has anyone run into this issue and how did you resolve it?

Phenelle Segal: I have just returned from an ASC visit where patients with artificial nails or long natural nails are given a nailbrush with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) and instructions for scrubbing them while in the holidng area.

I think that is a great compromise given that we can't force patients to remove the nails or the polish.