Final answer:
In skin preparation, the recommended practice is to clean in a circular motion from the center to periphery to minimize the risk of infection and effectively remove microorganisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
When prepping the skin, it is recommended to clean in a circular motion starting from the center to periphery. This method helps to move potential contaminants away from the central area, which is often the intended site for procedures such as injections or surgery. Proper skin preparation is crucial in medical settings to minimize the risk of infection and to ensure that microorganisms are effectively removed from the skin surface. For example, in a surgical scrub, health-care workers start by scrubbing the fingertips and move up the arms to beyond the elbows. A similar principle applies when prepping smaller areas of skin, where cleaning starts at the center and moves outward.