A Short "Scrubbing" Prayer as a Potentially Valuable Addition to Preoperative Preparation

Area of Science:

• Surgical practice
• Medical humanities
• Occupational psychology

Background:

• Surgeon well-being and patient safety are critical in modern surgery.
• Spirituality is often recognized by surgeons as a key factor in resilience and professional fulfillment.
• The need for accessible, non-disruptive interventions to support surgical teams is ongoing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a brief, private reflective practice during the preoperative hand-scrubbing period.
• To explore the potential benefits of this practice for surgeon focus, stress reduction, and cognitive reinforcement.
• To suggest a method that supports both caregiver well-being and patient safety.

Main Methods:

• A conceptual proposal for a practice termed "scrubbing reflection."
• The practice is designed to be adaptable to diverse belief systems, including optional silent prayer.
• Integration into the existing, standard preoperative hand-scrubbing process.

Main Results:

• The practice is intended to promote focused attention and reduce stress.
• It may cognitively reinforce critical patient and procedural information.
• The method adds no operational delay to surgical workflows.

Conclusions:

• "Scrubbing reflection" offers a simple, voluntary approach to enhance surgeon performance.
• This practice has the potential to bolster both individual caregiver well-being and overall patient safety.
• Encourages consideration of minimal-intervention strategies for optimizing surgical care.