Establishing Sterile Field Terms

Question 1

Antiseptic

Answer 1

used to inhibit the growth and reproduction of bacteria

Question 2

Asepsis

Answer 2

absence of pathogenic microorganisms

Question 3

Aseptic technique

Answer 3

Aseptic technique – methods used to prevent contamination of the surgical field

Question 4

Bactericidal

Answer 4

destroys/kills bacteria

Question 5

Bioburden

Answer 5

number of microbes or amount of organic debris on an object at any given time

Question 6

Cross-contamination

Answer 6

contamination of a person or object unintentionally by another person or object

Question 7

Surgical conscience

Answer 7

inner awareness of aseptic principles

Question 8

Vector

Answer 8

bug

Question 9

Surgically clean

Answer 9

a term to describe the condition of the ST’s hands after the surgical scrub

Question 10

PPE

Answer 10

personal protective equipment

Question 11

Desquamation

Answer 11

process in which the outer layer of the epidermis is sloughed off

Question 12

Exogenous

Answer 12

caused by factors outside the organism or system

Question 13

Endogenous

Answer 13

caused by factors in the body

Question 14

Transient flora

Answer 14

organism in the epidermis which have been picked up through contact with other object

Question 15

Pathogen

Answer 15

microorganism capable of producing disease

Question 16

Decontamination

Answer 16

reduce to minimum the presence pathogens

Question 17

Disinfectant

Answer 17

agents that kills most microbes, but not spores; used on fomites

Question 18

Fomites

Answer 18

inanimate object

Question 19

Resident flora

Answer 19

microbes that reside below the skin surface or within the body

Question 20

Sepsis

Answer 20

Infection; results from the presence of pathogenic microorganism

Question 21

Spore

Answer 21

resistant forms of certain bacteria’s that are able to survive in adverse conditions

Question 22

Sterile

Answer 22

free of all living microorganisms including spores

Question 23

Sterile field

Answer 23

area free of microorganism

Question 24

Sterile technique

Answer 24

techniques of creating and performing within the sterile field

Question 25

Sterilization

Answer 25

destruction of all microorganism, including spores

Question 26

Strike-through contamination

Answer 26

contamination of a sterile field that occurs through the passage of fluid through or a puncture

Question 27

Terminal sterilization

Answer 27

to render items safe to handle by sterilization

Question 28

Fenestration

Answer 28

opening

Question 29

Nonsterile

Answer 29

when there is a presence of microorganisms

Question 30

Modes of contamination

Answer 30

different ways in which infecting organisms are transmitted to sterile objects

Question 31

Infection

Answer 31

invasion of the body by disease producing microorganisms and the reaction of tissue to their presence

Question 32

Contamination

Answer 32

transmission of microorganism from person to person or from object to
person and vice versa

Question 33

Contaminate

Answer 33

to introduce microorganism