2 SURGINCAL ASEPSIS Flashcards
refers to the absence of infectious material or infection.
Su
Asepsis
is the absence of all microorganisms within any type of invasive procedure.
Surgical asepsis
is a set of specific practices and procedures performed to make equipment and areas free from all microorganisms and to maintain that sterility.
Sterile technique
Principles of sterile technique
help control and prevent infection, prevent the transmission of all microorganisms in a given area, and include all techniques that are practiced to maintain sterility.
Sterile technique is most commonly practiced in
operating rooms, labour and delivery rooms, and special procedures or diagnostic areas.
Sterile technique is most commonly practiced in operating rooms, labour and delivery rooms, and special procedures or diagnostic areas. It is also used when performing a sterile procedure at the bedside, such as
inserting devices into sterile areas of the body or cavities (e.g., insertion of chest tube, central venous line, or indwelling urinary catheter). In health care, sterile technique is always used when the integrity of the skin is accessed, impaired, or broken (e.g., burns or surgical incisions).
Sterile technique may include the use of sterile
equipment, sterile gowns, and gloves (Perry et al., 2014).
Sterile technique is essential to help prevent
surgical site infections (SSI)
SSI is defined as an
“infection that occurs after surgery in the area of surgery”
SSI is defined as an
“infection that occurs after surgery in the area of surgery”
are the most important reasons for using sterile technique during invasive procedures and surgeries.
Preventing and reducing SSI
• Sterilization = .
elimination of all microorganisms from an inanimate object
• Disinfection =
elimination of all pathogenic microorganisms from an inanimate object.
• Asepsis =
absence of pathogenic microorganisms on a living object.
Principles of asepsis
• Control of endogenous and exogenous bacteria to reduce contamination of the surgical site.
• Endogenous bacteria, especially Staphylococcus Staphylococcus spp and Streptococcus Streptococcus spp are the most common contaminants.
• Accomplished by correct preparation of the patient, surgical team, operating theater and surgical equipment and adherence to rules of the operating theater.
• The goal of asepsis is to prevent the contamination of the open surgical wound by isolating the operative site from the surrounding nonsterile environment. This is achieved by the use of sterile instruments placed on sterile fields, which are created by covering the operating table and instrument trolleys with sterile drapes.
• All sterile equipment and instruments are placed within the sterile field, and all staff members working within the surgical field have to perform a surgical scrub and wear sterile gowns and gloves. Breaks in sterile technique on the side of the supportive staff can occur with 1) sterilization, 2) setting up and opening the sterile field, 3) scrubbing and drying hands, 4) gowning and gloving, 5) prepping and draping the animal.
• The goal of asepsis is to_________________________________ by isolating the operative site from the surrounding nonsterile environment. This is achieved by the use of sterile instruments placed on sterile fields, which are created by covering the operating table and instrument trolleys with sterile drapes.
prevent the contamination of the open surgical wound
• ________ is defined as a process that removes or destroys all microorganisms. Without correctly sterilized instruments, there can be no sterile technique. For reusable instruments, this is usually achieved by _________.
Sterilisation
steam sterilisation
requires specific steam chamber temperatures and appropriate exposure times, and it is in the responsibility of the technical staff to ensure that all these parameters are monitored regularly.
Steam sterilisation
• Sterility indicator tapes help to ensure that an efficient sterilisation process has been reached by turning a distinctive colour. When packing items for sterilisation, indicator tapes must not be reused after they have gone through a sterilisation cycle, because the turned colour indicator will give the impression that the item is sterile when in fact it is not. Immediately after removing a processed item from the steam sterilizer it must be checked for wet spots, which can occur from condensed steam that has soaked through the sterile package. These wet spots may wick contamination into the package; therefore, these items should not be used and instead need to be re-sterilized. From storage or transportation, small punctures in the packaging can occur. The technician must inspect all sterile items carefully for integrity and a proper sterilisation indicator immediately before they are presented to the surgeon. A packaged item is not considered sterile if there is any indication that the package has become wet, the chemical indicator has not turned colour, or the package shows evidence of crushing or perforation. A package that has been dropped on the floor has to be considered contaminated, since the force that is created when the package hits the floor can cause the sterile barrier to be penetrated by forcing sterile air out and allowing contaminated air and particles into the package.
SETTING UP AND OPENING THE STERILE FIELD
• The veterinary nurse or other members of the team set up and open the instruments for the surgical procedure. Although routine, this process offers numerous opportunities for breaking sterile technique. All items introduced to the sterile field should be opened, dispensed, and transferred by methods that maintain their sterility.
_______establish an aseptic barrier preventing the passage of microorganisms, liquids, and particulate matter from nonsterile to sterile areas. ________ are used to cover the surfaces were instruments and equipment are placed. Since moisture tends to wick through a drape and contaminate the sterile field, all surfaces must be dry before a sterile drape is placed on them. Dust on the surface to be covered may become airborne and land on the sterile field; therefore, the surface must be cleaned before sterile drapes are placed on it.
Sterile drapes
