Surgical gowning and gloving.

Surgical gowning and gloving is an essential element of perioperative practice and is undertaken by the members of the anaesthetic and surgical teams involved in a perioperative intervention or procedure. Gowning and gloving will take place immediately after surgical hand antisepsis and the whole process is often referred to as scrubbing, gowning and gloving. Surgical hand antisepsis is defined as 'an extension of hand washing' (AfPP 2007), and 'the antiseptic surgical scrub or antiseptic hand rubs performed before donning sterile attire preoperatively' (AORN 2008). The aim of these processes is to improve the perioperative outcome of interventions and procedures by enhancing and further promoting aseptic techniques (ACORN 2006, AfPP 2007).